Samsung to limit the usage period of free themes to 2 weeks after the Pie update

[D13H4RD]

Chuck this in the "What kind of asshattery bullshit is this" bin. 

 

Some users have noticed that the Samsung Themes store displayed a pop-up message which tells them of a change in policy. 

Quote

Free themes will be usable for fourteen days once applied and the Home screen with automatically change to the default Touchwiz theme (no theme theme) when the usage period ends. Before the Home screen is changed to the default theme, we will provide two prior notifications to help you change the theme beforehand.

It's speculated that this is a move to drive more theme sales, although Samsung has not commented on the move thus far. All we know so far is that on Android Oreo, free themes can be installed for however long you want but starting with Pie, you'll be limited to 2 weeks. However, we do not know if we can reapply the theme or we'll be forced to go with a new one. 

 

Source: 9to5Google

 

D13H4RD's opinion 

Spoiler

WHAT THE FUCK, SAMSUNG?! 

 

What reasonable reasoning is there to arbitrality limit the use of free themes to 2 weeks before the phone will revert to its default theme? To drive more theme sales? Is that how it's going to be done? 

 

Forcing shit is not going to work. I'm not going to spend money on random crap that I don't like to look at every time I look at my phone. To date, the only themes I've bought are the ones from Cameron Bunch for his blacked out theme that makes those OLED screens pop. 

 

Seriously, just revert this change. This will not go well. 

 

[Curufinwe_wins]

Huh... wtf indeed? Seriously... this is like one of the best things about samsung phones... the theme store is actually amazing, and from what I understood most were 3rd party created.

 

I mean I'm using a paid theme (1.99), that I don't ever want to leave, but com'on man.

[Guest]

Can't pay for themes if you can't install them #Apple4Life 

[D13H4RD]

33 minutes ago, Curufinwe_wins said:

Huh... wtf indeed? Seriously... this is like one of the best things about samsung phones... the theme store is actually amazing, and from what I understood most were 3rd party created.

 

I mean I'm using a paid theme (1.99), that I don't ever want to leave, but com'on man.

I have a bunch of paid themes, but yeah. This reeks of all kinds of bullcrap. 

 

It doesn't help when a lot of the paid themes just looks so damn ugly. 

[DrMacintosh]

I'd rather have no themes than have my phone be a mobile game with micro-transactions

[Curufinwe_wins]

4 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

I'd rather have no themes than have my phone be a mobile game with micro-transactions

because people who pay for prints of images are supporting micro-transactions. Clearly.

 

If the wallpaper was available anywhere else, I wouldn't buy it. But it isn't so oh well...

 

[Tech_Dreamer]

This kinda move is sure to hit em in the wrong direction.

[JoeCoke]

Great. More shit to make me respect Samsung less. Go ahead and add a notch and remove the headphone jack on the Galaxy SX Samsung. Oh, don't forget to remove that pesky expandable storage too.

 

Guess I'll be buying another S5 if my current one bites the dust, because Android phones are becoming a joke to me.

 

By the way, I'm 100% sure there's a million different workarounds for this, doesn't make it less of a shitty move.

[williamcll]

Or just download a home launcher from the play store.

[D13H4RD]

5 minutes ago, williamcll said:

Or just download a home launcher from the play store.

The launcher doesn't theme the menus and such. 

[Bouzoo]

Limit usage, free theme. Someone tell me I am missing something here. 

[sof006]

One word: Why?

[D13H4RD]

36 minutes ago, Bouzoo said:

Limit usage, free theme. Someone tell me I am missing something here. 

It was very different before. 

 

You could get a selection of free themes that may not be the best in quality but you could apply them without qualms. Some of the higher quality themes (too bad a lot of them are kind of ugly) are paid but they do offer a free trial that allows you to try out the theme for around 10 minutes or so before the theme expires and reverts to the default. 

 

With Pie, whenever you install a free theme, you'll be able to use it for up to 2 weeks, after which the theme will be automatically reverted to the stock theme. No words yet on whether you could keep using that theme or you'll have to try a new one but before the theme expires, they'll be pushing ads for other themes. 

 

Rubs me the wrong way Tbh, especially when some of the nicest themes only exist as a free theme. 

 

[Master Disaster]

2 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

I'd rather have no themes than have my phone be a mobile game with micro-transactions

[Guest]

2 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

I'd rather have no themes than have my phone be a mobile game with micro-transactions

Android iz better u have customisation and open-sauce softwares u cannot even change LAUNCHER on iOS - so locked down and cannot OVERCLOCK! how can u even use that iPhone dam so limiteds. iPhone so expense I have to get job to afford, and then after u pay cannot even use an SD card - which I can use easily on my 16GB Galaxy S3, which I never need upgrade as it is most powerful phone of 2012 and still beat iPhone. 

[D13H4RD]

Honestly, this really annoys me way more than it theoretically should. 

 

I know it seems silly to be annoyed by a mere theme, but I just can't wrap my mind around the rationality of this decision. 

 

Probably because there was none. 

[Master Disaster]

Just now, D13H4RD said:

Honestly, this really annoys me. 

 

I know it seems silly to be annoyed by a mere theme, but I just can't wrap my mind around the rationality of this decision. 

 

Probably because there was none. 

MONEY

£€¥$¢

[D13H4RD]

4 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

MONEY

£€¥$¢

Not like they're going to make much out of it anyway

 

Especially given that at least on my screen right now, a lot of the themes just look ugly. 

 

$3.99 for a theme that turns my $930 premium phone into Fisher Price? No thanks. 

 

Maybe some people do like it but Samsung has to do much more to push exquisite and beautiful themes to the storefront. Right now, most of the genuinely pretty ones are put on the backside while Sesame Street and Fisher Price are placed front and center... 

[LAwLz]

This sounds like miscommunications to me.

It doesn't make sense to set free themes on a 2 week time limit. I mean, what are you going to do after those 2 weeks are over? You can't buy a free theme, so are you just stuck without the theme forever? It makes no logical sense from any standpoint.

 

If I had to guess, I'd say that Samsung is going to change the current trial period of paid themes from whatever it is now (15 minutes?) to 2 weeks. Or maybe they have some other plan which make sense that I can't think of.

[D13H4RD]

31 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

~snip~

Only thing I've got so far is this. 

 

It would make sense if the free trial period for paid themes were extended, but "free trial" wasn't mentioned. 

 

Either it's a miscommunication or Samsung is making a move that makes pretty much no sense