Meta/Facebook preinstalls an app called Meta Services (previously Facebook services) on a very large percentage of android devices (I’ve never used one without it) and while they claim it helps updates and synchronisation between different meta apps, it is very suspicious. Why preinstall it on devices of people who will potentialy never use a single meta app?
Go to your app list/app management and show system apps and find anything with the words “meta” or “Facebook” then turn off network access for those apps (if you can) and disable them. (eg. Meta app manager, Meta app installer).
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/meta-services-an-android-app-or-not/
https://fixyourandroid.com/about/facebook-app-manager/
https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyS20FE/comments/ttmx4t/meta_services/
Edit: Looking around I have found several people complaining that this app is using their ram for 10 hours a day even though they don’t use anything Meta. That’s even more suspicious.
There’s still shovelware with non-carrier phones.
You are correct my good sir, I imagine their excuse would be that it subsidizes the device.
Well it definitely does. But it’s still a dark pattern, especially because you usually have no warning about it when you buy the device.