T-Mobile user learns the hard way that buying Android phones other than Pixel could be a bad idea

Carrier-locked phones often come with apps that cannot be uninstalled. And as if that’s not irritating enough on its own, T-Mobile also sends you notifications to install more apps.

The most you can do to keep the pesky notifications away is disable the apps, such as T-Mobile Device Manager, that generate them.

A more extreme step is only buying unlocked phones, but that would mean forgoing the discounts that carriers like T-Mobile offer.

A middle ground that has been suggested by some Redditors is only buying a Pixel or an iPhone from T-Mobile. For some reason, Google’s smartphones don’t come with the same level of bloatware, if any, as other Android phones. Apple doesn’t allow any bloatware on its phones at all. On the other hand, even the most expensive Samsung phones are not spared from carrier-branded apps.

That said, having a minor inconvenience like carrier notifications dictate which phone you should buy isn’t a very practical idea. If you can’t stand carrier apps but aren’t a fan of Pixel or iPhone, one option is to get your nerd hat on and use tools like Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to get rid of them, but this route isn’t without its own risks.The Federal Communications Commission is debating whether to impose a shorter, uniform unlocking policy across the board. T-Mobile, as you may have guessed has opposed the proposed law. While the FCC is at it, it might also consider making it illegal for carriers to install apps and send notifications that are not strictly necessary.