Samsung is Loading McAfee Antivirus Software On Smart TVs (techspot.com)

Samsung is adding bloatware to its 2019 TVs because McAfee is paying them to do so. From a report: There is arguably no reason at all for Samsung to offer a third-party antivirus software for an operating system that is developed in house. Partnering with software vendors is fairly common practice for large hardware manufacturers. Laptop makers frequently preinstall bloatware in return for some sizable payouts and smartphone OEMs are no different. Samsung is now installing McAfee antivirus software on its 2019 TV lineup.

Samsung is claiming something to the effect of wanting to protect users from malware. On the surface that makes sense, but Samsung is running its very own Tizen OS on all of its TVs. Instead of adding more junk to a TV, why not just improve the OS? The answer though is very self explanatory. Samsung would not receive a payout from McAfee if it did not install the unneeded software.

Comments

Re: Raise the price, please

[spire3661]

I got news for you, in a very short time they will come with a 5G radio that you dont control. It will connect to the home base, period.

Yet another reason not to buy a Samsung TV

[Casandro]

I mean why should I pay for a TV from a company that sees me as its product?

Re:My Synology NAS has antivirus, why not a SmartT

[Bert64]

AV on your NAS is not designed to protect the NAS itself, its designed to detect windows malware being put onto the storage device and thus spread to other windows clients that are accessing it.

Re: Raise the price, please

[AmiMoJo]

Why would they waste money on a 5G modem and on-going cellular data costs when the user is very likely to connect it to their wifi for free anyway?

Also it would be pointless in Europe because the user could just decline he mandatory opt-in permission request, and agreement cannot legally be forced by making it mandatory to use the functions of the TV.