You can't "uninstall" any app that the carrier forces on you, but you can disable it as of ICS or better. The app is both prevented from running and hidden from the app drawer.

In practice, the amount of storage you're denied from not being able to completely wipe these apps is miniscule.

Just one of the neat bits of control that the newer Android versions give you :)

Wait, can you do that for the Google-default apps too? I have a half dozen Google+ settings/messengers/other things that I can't uninstall from my phone (Nexus), when I really just want to hide them from view.

Yes, you can Disable (most of?) them (in the same place you would Uninstall another app.)

Disabling some of them, like the Google Play Services component (famous for killing batteries on Nexus 7 tablets), will cause apps (like G+) to nag you to Enable them.

My Galaxy Nexus lets me do it, anyways. I tried on the Play Store, GMail, etc. Looks like the only things it doesn't work on are the apps that are the interface to basic phone functions (dialer, messaging, etc).

sorry, we are talking about carrier locked phones and custom samsung images.

Nexus devices do not fit the bill.

Parent comment was explicitly referencing a Nexus device...

But he was replying to my comment regarding Samsung phones

> You can't uninstall Facebook from any Samsung phone

This is why I never stick with stock ROM (unless Nexus device), I have Cyanogenmod running on my Note II.

I had no idea that "open" Android was so locked down for your average (ie, non-rooting) user. Combine with bootloader locks, and you have mandatory privacy invading apps.

And some people think Apple is Big Brother?

Not sure why gcb0 elided to point out that since 4.0 Android allows disabling built in apps. (Functionality equivalent to deleting, except their space in the ROM is still occupied).

Locked/unlocked bootloaders is a fairly different issue and is seeming to be much less of an issue lately.

mostly because i never used a carrier locked in device.

but i just took a quick look on my wife's noteII, and the only thing i could do was to 'hide' the app from the drawer.

there were no "disable" option.

I guess the OEM might be allowed to remove the option, but it should be under apps settings. It won't be in the drawer menu if that's where you're looking.