Samsung just made another deal. The company announced a partnership with Amazon Music that puts the streaming app on millions of new Galaxy phones and tablets straight from the factory. Users get the software whether they want it or not. Some will call it convenience. Others see it as more bloat.
The news broke Tuesday. Samsung’s official release detailed the arrangement. The app lands in the Galaxy Store. It also ships preinstalled on select devices worldwide. Samsung Global Newsroom framed the move as delivering “special benefits and value for our Galaxy users.”
Partnership Details and User Incentives
Executives sounded optimistic. “We are constantly finding new ways to deliver special benefits and value for our Galaxy users,” said Izzet Asayas, Head of CTV & Mobile Business Development at Samsung. “Through our collaboration with Amazon Music, Samsung continues to elevate premium experiences across the Galaxy experience.”
Karolina Joynathsing, Director of Business Development at Amazon Music, added her take. “By pre-installing Amazon Music on select Galaxy devices and making it available in the Galaxy Store, we’re putting world-class audio entertainment in customers’ hands from the very first moment — with a free Amazon Music Unlimited trial to make that first experience truly exceptional.”
The offer sounds generous on paper. New subscribers who download the app from the Galaxy Store within 12 months receive three months of Amazon Music Unlimited at no cost. That includes ad-free streaming from a catalog of more than 100 million songs. Podcasts. Artist livestreams. Curated playlists. One audiobook from Audible each month in eligible regions. HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio come with the Unlimited tier.
But terms matter. The trial auto-renews. It costs $12.99 a month after the promotional period, or $11.99 for Amazon Prime members. Taxes apply. Cancellation must happen before renewal through Amazon Music settings. The promotion runs in the United States and select international markets.
Engadget covered the announcement quickly. It highlighted the storage impact. Preinstalled apps already consume more than a gigabyte on many Galaxy devices. The list includes Facebook, Instagram, OneDrive, LinkedIn and Spotify. Most can be uninstalled after initial setup. A few, like Facebook in past years, only allow disabling. Engadget noted the hope that Amazon Music won’t join the harder-to-remove group. “Hopefully, Samsung won’t block people from uninstalling it.”
SamMobile took a blunter approach. Its headline read “Samsung is installing Amazon Music on your phone whether you like it or not.” The piece opened with “Great, more bloatware.” It pointed out the lack of specifics on exactly which models receive the preinstall. Flagships launching soon seem the obvious targets. SamMobile tied the story to broader frustration with Samsung’s software practices.
Android Authority echoed the sentiment hours later. “Get ready for more bloatware on your next Samsung Galaxy device.” The site reminded readers that even the Galaxy S26 series ships with a “problematic number” of third-party apps. “Still, it’s never great to see the spread of bloat,” the article stated. When buyers spend flagship prices, tolerance for factory-loaded extras runs thin. Android Authority captured the industry mood.
PhoneArena reported the same development. It emphasized the standalone availability in the Galaxy Store alongside the preinstall push. The outlet noted the promotional tie-in but stopped short of deep criticism. PhoneArena kept coverage factual.
Thurrott.com added context on scale. Samsung confirmed the app heads to “millions” of devices. The partnership extends beyond preinstallation to distribution through Samsung’s own app marketplace. Thurrott highlighted the free trial as the sweetener.
This isn’t Samsung’s first dance with third-party software. The company has layered carrier apps, Microsoft tools and social media clients onto devices for years. One UI improved customization. Yet the preloads persist. Storage fills before owners install their own choices. Battery drains from background processes. App drawers clutter.
ZDNet addressed related cleanup earlier this year. It listed Samsung bloatware users often remove first. The piece noted variation by device, price tier and carrier. Some apps resist full deletion. Disabling becomes the workaround. ZDNet gave practical steps for those frustrated by the defaults.
Community forums show the pattern. Samsung Community threads from late 2025 discussed Amazon Shopping already resisting uninstallation on S23 and S25 models. Official responses acknowledged that certain preloaded titles integrate into the system image. Users can disable them. Complete removal sometimes requires advanced tools or stays impossible. The same logic likely applies here.
But. The free trial offers real value for music fans. Three months of high-quality streaming and audiobooks could convert some skeptics. Amazon gains prominent placement on millions of premium Android devices. Samsung earns revenue from the partnership while claiming to enhance the out-of-box experience.
Apple takes a different path. Its phones avoid third-party bloat almost entirely. Google maintains a cleaner base Android experience, though carriers still meddle. Samsung’s approach reflects its scale and deal-making culture. The Galaxy lineup sells in huge volumes. Each partnership adds another revenue stream or user hook.
Tech reviewers have grown vocal. Many unbox flagship Galaxies only to spend the first hour pruning unwanted software. The process wastes time. It creates negative first impressions. And when the phone costs $1,000 or more, expectations rise.
So what happens next? Samsung hasn’t listed exact models receiving the preinstall. Global rollout suggests broad coverage. Future One UI updates might add easier management tools. Or the complaints could mount until the company rethinks its strategy.
Users retain options. Disable the app. Ignore the trial. Or claim the three months and cancel before billing kicks in. The promotion window lasts a full year from launch. That flexibility helps.
Still. The trend continues. Another app. Another default. Another piece of storage spoken for before the device even powers on. Industry watchers will track whether this deal sets a precedent for more music, video or productivity partnerships. Samsung shows no sign of slowing its collaboration engine.
Digital Music News covered the audio angle. It focused on the catalog expansion and promotional push. The outlet treated the news as a positive for subscribers while acknowledging the preinstall controversy. Digital Music News balanced the reporting.
Yahoo Tech republished a version of the Engadget story with minor updates. It reinforced the bloatware framing and subscription details. Yahoo Tech reached a wider audience with the same core facts.
Reactions on X arrived fast. Users posted variations of “not again” and “time to debloat.” Some praised the free trial. Most focused on the irritation of yet another factory app. The conversation mirrors years of similar complaints about Samsung’s software decisions.
The partnership makes business sense. Amazon Music gains distribution muscle. Samsung sweetens its devices without raising prices. Galaxy owners receive a tangible perk if they choose to engage.
Yet the execution rankles. Preinstallation without consent feels heavy-handed in an era of user control and customization. Samsung could have made the app available in the Galaxy Store only. The trial could stand alone. Instead, the company chose the default route.
That choice reveals priorities. Revenue and partnerships appear to outweigh the desire for a clean user experience. Flagship buyers in particular notice. They pay premium rates. They expect flagship polish. Factory bloat undercuts that promise.
Future Galaxy launches will test the backlash. The S26 series already carries its share of preloads. Adding Amazon Music raises the count. How many apps cross the line from useful to intrusive? The debate continues.
Samsung insists it listens to feedback. One UI has grown more refined over generations. Bloat management improved in places. This latest move suggests limits to that progress.
Owners can fight back. ADB commands. Package disablers. Simple settings tweaks. The tools exist. They shouldn’t be necessary on a new device.
The Amazon Music app joins a crowded field. Samsung Music remains preloaded too. Spotify appears on many units. Now three music options compete before the first song plays. Redundancy at its finest.
Perhaps the integration brings unique Galaxy features. The release didn’t specify any. No mention of exclusive widgets, audio enhancements or One UI optimizations. The pitch stayed general. World-class entertainment. First-moment access. Premium trial.
Time will tell if users bite. Early data on trial conversions could shape future deals. Strong uptake might encourage more preinstalls. Weak interest could force Samsung to reconsider.
For now, the app arrives. Millions of devices will carry it. And the conversation about bloatware on Android’s biggest brand rolls on.
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