Galaxy S26 series costs between $900 to $1800 in the US, yet Samsung isn’t done with Bloatware. Preinstalled apps make sense with budget and mid-range phones, but flagships should maintain a status given their price point.

Our friends over at AndroidAuthority discovered a huge 40GB storage space occupied on the Galaxy S26 Ultra 512GB model. Worth knowing before you pre-order: there’s no opt-in screen, nor is there an option to stop these apps.

Galaxy S26 is still loaded with Bloatware

The moment you sign into your Google and Samsung accounts, apps from Meta, Microsoft, and Spotify flood in. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Outlook, OneDrive, M365 Copilot. They’re just there, sitting in your app drawer.

Budget Androids bundle third-party software because it helps offset costs. Manufacturers and carriers strike revenue-sharing deals with Microsoft or whoever, preload their stuff, and pass along some of the savings to buyers.

But the S26 Ultra doesn’t play by those rules. It costs $1,300 at the entry point, with Samsung offered 512GB model at this price, which originally is $1,500.

At that price point, you’re supposed to be buying a premium experience. Instead, you’re handed something that feels closer to a subsidized carrier phone from 2015.

40GB gone before you do anything

Fresh out of the box, after a factory reset and clean setup with only auto-updates enabled, the preinstalled apps and system files occupy over 40GB of storage on a 512GB model.

That’s close to eight percent of your total capacity consumed by stuff Samsung decided you needed. Samsung is monetizing your home screen before you’ve even migrated your photos.

Source – Android Authority

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