<div><em>It's time phone and tablet makers gave some serious thought to letting users readily customise their devices and usage, writes <strong>Mala Bhargava</strong></em></div><div> </div><div>The rumours that Apple may soon allow users to delete some of the apps it preloads on to its devices is like smoothing down the bristling fur of an angry cat.</div><div> </div><div>When you get an Apple device like an iPhone or an iPad, and pay through your nose for every inch of space onboard, you'd think you should have the choice of what to keep and what to throw out. But no, there are all sorts of applications you can do nothing about.</div><div> </div><div>To me, the most annoying is the Game Center. I don't want to play any of Apple's recommended games, and that's that. Why can't I just banish the whole folder and its bits and pieces off of my iPad? After all, it's not as if the action is irreversible.</div><div> </div><div>It's not certain which apps will be user-offloadable, but it's a safe bet it won't include applications like the Calendar. Or Music. Many apps are central to the whole system and notifications etc depend on them as may the functioning of other apps. So those are probably not going anywhere anytime soon. But even getting rid o a few will be a relief and make more space for what the user wants to do on the device.</div><div> </div><div>It's time phone and tablet makers gave some serious thought to letting users readily customise their devices and usage. Let's say I use reminders and calendars and tasks on one device. I use the other device to relax, make artwork with, watch movies, or listen to music.</div><div> </div><div>It should be my choice to remain undisturbed by various systems talking to each other, clever as it may be, to send me notifications in duplicate and triplicate. And I shouldn't have to tinker through the settings of every app to pick and choose what I want disturbing me. I don't believe enough attention is given to the idea that not every user wants to be surrounded by multiple devices communicating to each other and enveloping the user in a cloud of messages, reminders and notifications.</div><div> </div><div>But the more customizable Android universe is no less a culprit. Practically every manufacturer insists on talking up half the space on a device, if not more, with their own selection of apps. One or two such as security apps, may actually be useful, but through tie-ups with others, space is generously given to various shopping apps, news apps, and messaging apps that you can't get rid of, no matter what you do.</div><div> </div><div>If it weren't bad enough that companies heavily "skin" Android with their own interface in the hopeless quest for uniqueness and offering value, they also choose your apps for you.</div><div> </div><div>Not everyone is tech savvy and having apps already selected is bound to be very helpful to many. But, there should be the option of removing these should one change one's mind. The Play Store is but a click away. Or, put in an app suggestion widget and leave it at all, letting the user pick whatever seems essential. We paid for our space.</div><div> </div><div>And we want the choice to use it as we see fit.</div>
