Google and Samsung have formed a winning duo over the past decade. But now Google wants Samsung to remove remove Bixby and Galaxy apps from their new devices. The first as responsible for the leading global mobility operating system and the second as the largest Android OEM and the world’s leading mobile manufacturer.
In general there has been attunement, but there has been no lack of disagreements. One of them is not minor and could be in the process of being resolved. Google and Samsung are negotiating an agreement by which the South Korean firm could withdraw its virtual assistant Bixby and a large number of Galaxy applications that it pre-installs in its large catalog of smartphones. Is Samsung okay to remove Bixby and Galaxy apps?
The Reuters information (which follows another from Bllomberg) quotes “a person familiar with the matter” to ensure that Google has been trying for years to get Samsung to remove its own apps and rank those of the Internet giant more prominently. However, Samsung has followed its own strategy to maintain all the revenue generated within it and also full access to user data.
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Google and Samsung together stronger
None have won. Google has not been able to promote its software from the hand of its main ally, while Samsung has also not achieved the planned objectives. The reception of the virtual assistant Bixby has been lukewarm (to put it mildly) the same as its app store that has not enjoyed the general favor of the users either and its adoption has been very limited. Let’s be clear, on Android, like it or not, Google’s software completely dominates the platform.
Now, after a global economic crisis rampant by the COVID-19 pandemic and predictions of a brutal drop in mobile sales, Samsung is reviewing its strategy. Google hopes to “tempt” Samsung this time, offering it a new , more lucrative ad revenue-sharing deal.
In exchange, Samsung would remove Bixby and Galaxy apps from their smartphones , the Google assistant, the Play Store and the Internet giant’s long list of apps pre-installed by default, from their Chrome browser to the search engine through Maps.
We don’t know if the potential deal will include Google’s productivity suite and its cloud hosting service. Or if it will break the one that Samsung signed with Microsoft to install the Office and OneDrive apps on some of its star smartphones.
It will be interesting to see if this agreement (if materialized) can be extended to other market segments such as smart watches. Samsung is betting on Tizen and not on the Wear OS promoted by Google, and it is surely one of the reasons why Apple is sweeping its Watch.
There is no confirmation of the new agreement between Google and Samsung, although neither denied. Asked about the matter, Google says it regularly discusses ways to improve user experience with its partners, while Samsung explains that it is committed to its own services, but at the same time working closely with Google and other partners to offer the better mobile experiences.
The union is strong and in difficult times such as today a reinforcement of the alliance between Google and Samsung will be positive for both. For the user it is another question. We already tell you.
