Most new cell phones come with factory pre-installed bloatware, that is, applications put in by the manufacturer, mobile operators or even wholesale distributors, which are NOT necessary for the operation of the device, but which are not malware or viruses either. The same companies can also pre-install backdoors or adware, as in the case of Xiaomi and its analytics app, msa , as well as the Amazon Fire HD, although the latter clearly indicate this. In this case we are not talking about something malicious either, which cannot be said about the software that comes in some new cell phones sold in unofficial online stores or not authorized by the manufacturer. These stores or their sellers can put their own apps for profit or even malicious..
This is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it has existed for several years, especially in Chinese cell phones, and it was noticed a lot with the arrival of devices like the OnePlus 2 . Normally this device could only be bought by invitation, but unofficial internet stores sold it without this type of setback, something quite good for one thing. The problem was that, apparently, the devices that were obtained there came pre-installed malicious non-uninstallable applications, which could steal the user's data, track them and even redirect their browser to unwanted pages, something that normally does not happen with devices purchased from the manufacturer's official stores, which may have bloatware and spyware to collect anonymous data, but they don't go that far.
This situation is quite common with Chinese brand phones (not necessarily clones ) like the discontinued One Plus 2, but it is not unique to these devices. Years ago, malware camouflaged was found in the Google Play Store application of cell phones such as the Sony Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact, HTC One M7 and One X that were bought in unofficial online stores, including here Amazon or eBay . Some Reddit users also mentioned that these stores sell supposedly new phones, but that they are pre- rooted and even used, because when they are turned on they immediately jump to the home screen and not to the initial configuration, as it should happen in a new device. .
For this reason, whenever possible it is advisable to purchase a cell phone from a manufacturer authorized dealer or a store with a reputable reputation. Currently Amazon and eBay are quite reliable stores ( I cannot say the same for Mercado Libre ), as long as the reputation of the seller from whom the mobile is being purchased is checked on these sites. The other thing is to make sure that the equipment is sold in a sealed box (not an open box) and to check its status of the software at the moment of turning it on. That is why it is a good idea to watch the unboxing videos of the device on YouTube. It is important to see which apps are actually pre-installed at the factory and which ones are not. Intermediary distributors between the manufacturer and the end customer can always add apps to the device, by which they surely receive a commission from the developers. That when little, because as I said, that type of intermediary stores could perfectly modify the software of the phones and add adware, malware, viruses or in general malicious applications. In case of being a victim, the technical solution is to re-install or flash the original Android software from the manufacturer.
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