Mobile manufacturers and telecoms companies love to load phones with their own software, but it can be extraordinarily annoying when the user wants to make their own choices and finds the in-built applications cannot be removed.

South Korea has moved to end this plight by banning the installation of un-removable apps, or ‘bloatware’, on mobile phones.

Telecoms providers will have to make all pre-installed apps temporary, except those for Wi-Fi connectivity, near-field communication, customer service, and the app store.

“The move aims to rectify an abnormal practice that causes inconvenience to smartphone users and causes unfair competition among industry players,” the South Korean Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning said in a press release.

The Ministry says it will also help save time and money with improved battery life and data storage.

In Australia, Apple has a policy to never permit pre-installed apps from third parties. Many Android users can typically remove any on-board extras by swapping out their software for a clean version.