Samsung allows controversial app to be disabled

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Samsung allows controversial app to be disabled

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S22 phones are displayed at a Samsung Electronics store in Seoul on March 8. [YONHAP]

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S22 phones are displayed at a Samsung Electronics store in Seoul on March 8. [YONHAP]

 
Samsung Electronics rolled back the automatic use of a controversial app that users claim slowed down other apps on the Galaxy S22 smartphone models.
 
The company released a software update for Galaxy S22 phones on Thursday that allows users to deactivate the Game Optimizing Service (GOS) app on their phones.
 
Galaxy S22 owners have complained about the GOS app reducing their phone’s performance.
 
The app has been pre-installed on Galaxy models since the Galaxy 7 models in 2016 to prevent overheating by cutting down data processing speeds of processors, supposedly only when game apps are run. But for the Galaxy S22 models, the manufacturer blocked ways to disable GOS.
 
Users and media outlets raised the suspicion that the GOS app throttles performance not only when playing games but also when using other apps like Netflix, YouTube, Spotify and Instagram. Android Authority, a publication dedicated to the operating system, reported that 10,000 apps are controlled by GOS.
 
Thousands of disgruntled Galaxy users in Korea are threatening a class action suit against Samsung Electronics, seeking 300,000 won ($243) per user as compensation. A Naver-hosted community is organizing the group and 6,800 members had joined as of Friday afternoon.
 
Roh Tae-moon, president and head of the mobile business at Samsung Electronics, made an apology to company employees on Thursday.
 
He explained the GOS issue to the staffers and apologized for not properly communicating with the company’s employees. Samsung Electronics did not offer any other details.
 
Roh's apology angered users, since it was not directed at customers.
 
Users are still expressing dismay in the Samsung Members community, claiming that the software update has not helped bring their phones' performance levels back up.
 
“I’ll never use a Samsung phone again,” read one post. “It feels like my phone’s slowed down even more after the update,” read another. Both were written on Friday.
 
The company apologized to users In the Samsung Members community on Friday following the software update. That followed apologies on March 3 and 4.
 
“We have heeded the customers’ needs and improved the system so that you may enjoy heavy games to the fullest performance,” Samsung Electronics said.
 
“We will also follow soon with software upgrades to improve the performances of other smartphones and tablets.”
 
Samsung Electronics’ shares closed at 70,000 won on Friday, down 1.7 percent from the previous trading day.
 
The company will introduce a new model in the affordable Galaxy A series in an unpacking event on March 17. Invitations will be given out on March 14.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]
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