Noun
Software that is packed with too many features and therefore slow or unwieldy; software that is inefficiently designed and occupies an excessive amount of memory or disk space.
Usage- Informal
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
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Today’s software development cycle does not allow time to optimize and refine products, and that leads to bloatware.
More examples (2)
That’s not really a surprise, considering that writing efficient software takes more time than writing wasteful code. “Bloatware” makes economic sense for software developers, if not for consumers!
I’ll bet you think I’m going to write one of those boring articles you see all over the net bemoaning “bloatware.” Whine whine whine, this stuff is so bloated, oh woe is me, edlin and vi are so much better than Word and Emacs because they are svelte, etc.
Unwanted pre-installed software, especially on a smartphone.
Usage- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
If consumers didn't like the bloatware that came with their phones, other manufacturers wouldn't include it, the bad actors would lose customers, and everyone would have to adjust.
The problem is especially bad with Android and Windows phones sold through third-party carriers, which like to preinstall all sorts of bloatware.
More examples (2)
Bloatware has also introduced numerous security and trust issues in smartphones. […] OEMs, third-party app providers, telecommunication operators, and malicious parties have used bloatware apps to over-collect user data.
Most phones had preinstalled Android stores and bloatware built in by manufacturers, but workers would still choose to install third-party marketplaces like Tencent MyApp, Baidu 91 Mobile Assistance, and Qihoo 360 Mobile Assistants.
“[…] samsung should stop adding crap bloatware […] i never use such app^([sic]) and i dont need it”