[Daniel14]

The problem with Android being open source is that Google hasn't really got much control over what happens with it. Everyone can tweak it for the better or worse, and lately its mostly been for the worse.

However, if you don't want to root or get a nexus, I've found that simply installing one of the many launchers available for free mostly does the trick of cleaning up your phone (touchwiz, blur etc get removed and you can hide apps completely if you like). Also, this seems worst in the US, where the carrier situation is -forgive me- completely fucked up. I haven't had issues anywhere similar with bloatware here in europe.

I can only hope, but if capitalism works and people don't like scins and crapware on their phone, the cunts in charge right now will eventually realize it's smarter to leave Android as it is because more people will buy it. I'm still waiting though.

[cageface]

Contrary to much received wisdom on the subject, I don't think that stock Android is significantly less user-friendly than iOS. But requiring users to be savvy enough to strip off carrier crapware is asking too much.

Consensus is powerful. Consistency is powerful. Google has to walk a fine line here but if they don't rein in the carriers soon I worry that Apple's discipline in design & execution is going to overwhelm them. I'm a little suspicious of recent claims that Android return rates are as high as 40% but I don't doubt that they're too high.