Earlier this month, Nothing confirmed that its new Phone 3a Lite and other mid-range phones will ship with pre-installed apps — or in other words, bloatware. The move was met with controversy from fans who appreciated the clean Android experience.
Nothing justified this decision as a means of sustaining the business model in light of growing costs, while for many users, it certainly went against the original philosophy of the company: keeping software minimal and transparent.
Users will now be able to delete pre-installed apps
This is a reversal of its earlier decision, following widespread feedback. In a community post, Nothing confirmed users will be able to completely remove Meta App Installer, Meta App Manager, and Meta Services—apps that were only disableable—soon.
The change will be part of the Nothing OS 4.0 beta update, which is rolling out later this month for the Nothing Phone 3 and 3a series.
Here is what the CEO, Akis Evangelidis, said:
"Starting later this month (November 2025), you will have the ability to completely remove Meta App Installer, Meta App Manager, and Meta Services from your device. We realise that full control is what some people want regarding what remains on their devices."
Update expected by the end of November
The company has also confirmed that this update will go live at the end of November, which will provide users with the capability of uninstalling apps they see as unnecessary without compromising system stability when they opt to keep them.
Nothing herein shall be construed to imply that users who depend on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp should leave these services o, for smoother functionality.
Carl Pei's Nothing stays true to its promise
The head of the company said that Nothing has based its business on the basis of clean software with an almost stock Android experience for its users.
Even though many smartphone manufacturers rely on pre-loaded apps for additional revenue, Nothing is willing to listen to its users to reinforce its identity as a brand that truly stands for community-driven change.
