Micromax Fools their Customers by Remotely Installing Apps & Advertisements

It is not new that smartphone brands have been accused of adding too much bloatware on their handsets, which not only adds unnecessary apps on the customer’s device but also makes their handsets quite slow. Micromax, an Indian smartphone brand has been accused of such behavior in the past, but this time, the company has crossed all the levels and is now seen actively spamming its users with advertisements on their devices.

The brand that is quite popular among rural areas in the country, where people are not that much educated in terms of technical terminologies, is fooling them by installing an app for “Software Update”. But unfortunately, it is being used to send pop-up advertisements of apps like FreeCharge, Voonik and Entertainment apps. Some Micromax handset users shared this concern with us that they are seeing these ads, not one or two times, but on a regular basis. While we have heard complaints from some Yu Televentures ( Venture of Micromax Informatics Limited) handsets users, such as Yuphoria.

We suggested one of the users Jerry with Yuphoria mobile to uninstall the app and try to remove it from the system. But after instructing that, user shared screenshots of his device where we learned that it is not a third-party application, but instead a system app. This kind of apps can only be removed once you do the rooting. You can clearly see that the app cannot be uninstalled or even disabled. He also informed us that the app in the question here was not installed on his handset, YU5010A, it should up a month after the device was purchased. That clearly tells us the brand is still remotely installing apps on their users.

We suggested one of those users to uninstall the app and try to remove it from the system. But after instructing that, user shared screenshots of his device where we learned that it is not a third-party application, but instead a system app. So, factory resetting the device didn’t helped at all. This kind of apps can only be removed once you do the rooting. You can clearly see that the app cannot be uninstalled or even disabled.

@amitbhawani @Prerit16 @geekyranjit factory reset does not help it is a system app (I had the same in my earlier micromax)

— dk (@disha24x7) April 28, 2016

It was recently only that company has changed their Logo and strategy on how to cater the needs of Indian and other markets they are present in. They are calling it a Micromax 3.0, with a tagline of “Nuts. Guts. Glory”. It is one thing to promise best user experience on handsets and another thing to actually give, at least that is what their users are claiming. Though, you can see this report where it comes in the light that company hasn’t been active in rolling out any software update as promised to its users. Then, what is the purpose of having a dedicated app for Software Update.

This is not the first time the brand has been accused of something like this. Last year the company has been accused of remotely installing apps on its user’s devices. On a Reddit thread from last year, you can see that it has been found Micromax has replaced the Google’s Android firmware OTA service and added a service called FWupgrade.apk, which was a service provided by a Chinese company called Adups Technology. It would automatically install apps with the consent from the user.

This backdoor left open on Micromax devices is clearly being used to monetize the device and gets benefits from users even after selling the device. Now it is ethically wrong and as well as raise concerns that company can also remotely monitor all the activities happening on the customers handsets. And since this app was pre-installed on the device, it will not uninstall unless you root the device. Now if you’re not familiar with rooting procedure, then it’s hard to get rid of these unnecessary advertisements popping up on your Micromax handsets.

Is this the new Micromax 3.0 going to continue this agenda, monetize its consumers without their consent? Looks-like that is how the company has been surviving all these years, as their market is decreasing in the country.

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