Many PCs come from the factory with third-party apps installed. Companies pay manufacturers to include their apps.
A good percentage of PC users don’t like these and the term bloatware has been coined to describe apps installed this way on a PC.
Soon another third party app may come to your desktop PC and laptop. This app named Google Essentials has been created by Google to advertise its products and services.
Google announced the Google Essentials will be distributed on HP PCs in partnership with HP.
What is Google Essentials?
Google Essentials is an application that is going to come pre-installed on HP devices. Google says this app is “making it easier for you to discover and install many of its services”. Examples given in the announcement are Google Play Games, Google Photos, and Google Messages.
The app comes pre-installed on HP Windows consumer and gaming brands such as Spectre, Envy, Pavilion and Victus. According to Google, users can launch the app from the Start menu.
Google says the app includes shortcuts to popular products including Google Docs, Drive, and Calendar. It also includes a 2-month trial option for Google One, which comes with 100 gigabytes of cloud storage. After that, users will have to pay a subscription fee to continue using the storage and other benefits.
According to Google, users can uninstall Google services or entire apps at any time.
lack of information
Google hasn't posted a single screenshot of Google Essentials. The description provided is vague.
It is evident that Google is paying HP to include this app and HP customers will soon be able to see this app on their devices.
It's unclear if this will only apply to new devices, or if the app will be installed retroactively on older HP devices as well.
Google has revealed plans to expand reach by partnering with other PC makers. The company expects to reveal new partnerships in the coming months – it says it will partner for more laptops and desktops.
Closing words
Google Essentials is an attempt to strengthen its hold on the PC. This app advertises Google services, some of which are in direct competition with Microsoft products.
Users using the app need to be careful about the 2-month trial of Google One included as an offer in the app, as it will lead to a paid subscription if not cancelled.
It remains to be seen if this app will be able to convince PC users to try out Google services.
If you don't need an app, removing it should be pretty easy. According to Google, simply right-clicking on the app's icon in the Start menu should be enough.
Other options include uninstalling it from Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, or using a third-party solution like O&O AppBuster.
What is your opinion about third-party apps that come pre-installed on your device (PC or mobile). Do you find them useful or do you remove them from your device immediately? Feel free to comment below.
Thanks for reading..
