In mid-January, smartphone manufacturers Oppo and Realme faced controversy in Thailand over illegal lending apps such as Happiness Loan and Fineasy, which were pre-installed on their devices.
These applications were integrated by the manufacturers themselves.
Fineasy app on an Oppo phone sold in Vietnam (Photo: Le Trong)
Notably, the Fineasy app is also pre-installed on many Oppo and Realme models sold in Vietnam. This software is installed as a system application and cannot be uninstalled using standard methods.
“On my Oppo Find X8 Pro, the Fineasy app is pre-installed like a system app and cannot be removed,” shared user Tai Nguyen in an Oppo user group on Facebook with over 60,000 members.
“I never access the Fineasy app, but it frequently displays notifications and even sends promotional messages to my phone,” said user Ngoc Tu.
In addition to Fineasy, users in Vietnam have also complained about numerous other pre-installed junk apps on Oppo and Realme products.
For example, when opening the box of an Oppo Reno13 5G, nearly 30 different apps and software are already installed. These include social media platforms, news readers, e-commerce shopping apps, and various games.
“As soon as I bought the phone and turned it on, I had to delete dozens of junk apps. Many pre-installed apps and games were unnecessary for me,” shared user Huy Nguyen.
According to MakeUseOf, selling hardware alone is not the only source of profit for Chinese smartphone brands. Another significant revenue stream comes from advertising.
Specifically, smartphone manufacturers try to expand their market and increase coverage by lowering device prices. To compensate for reduced profit margins, they partner with software developers and integrate third-party applications onto their devices.
Oppo and Realme phones come with many pre-installed apps right out of the box (Photo: The Anh).
Pre-installed applications can vary depending on the region and market, including gaming apps, social media apps, or financial apps.
Regarding the controversy in Thailand, Happiness Loan is an illegal lending app that is pre-installed and cannot be uninstalled. However, this app is not available in the Vietnamese market.
“The Fineasy app is pre-installed and cannot be uninstalled. It integrates features like mobile recharges, access cards, and e-commerce discounts. Any content related to lending advertisements (as seen in Thailand) does not appear on Oppo phones in Vietnam,” stated a representative from Oppo Vietnam.
A reporter from Dan Tri also contacted Realme’s representatives in Vietnam for comments. The Realme Vietnam representative acknowledged the issue but has yet to provide any formal response.
Oppo is a major player in the Vietnamese mobile market, holding a large market share. In Q2 2024, Oppo became the largest smartphone manufacturer in Vietnam, surpassing Samsung, with a 27% market share.
Realme, originally a sub-brand of Oppo, separated in 2018 and now operates as an independent brand under the BBK Electronics multinational group.
