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Your next PC may come with the Google Essentials app - what you need to know

Many PCs come out of the factory with third-party apps installed. Companies pay the manufacturers for the inclusion of their apps.

A good percentage of PC users does not like these and the term bloatware has been coined to describe apps that are installed on the PC this way.

Soon, your desktop PCs and laptops may come with another third-party app. Called Google Essentials, it has been created by Google to advertise its products and services.

Google announced a partnership with HP to distribute Google Essentials on HP's PCs.

What is Google Essentials?

Google Essentials is an application that is going to be preinstalled on HP devices. Google says that the app is making "it easier for you to discover and install many" of its services. Examples given in the announcement are Google Play Games, Google Photos, and Google Messages.

The app is preinstalled on HP Windows consumer and gaming brands, including Spectre, Envy, Pavilion, and Victus. Users may launch the app from the start menu according to Google.

Google says the app includes shortcuts to popular products, including Google Docs, Drive, and calendar. It also includes a 2-month trial option for Google One, which comes with 100 gigabytes of cloud storage. After that, users have to pay a subscription fee to continue using the storage and the other benefits.

Users may uninstall Google services or the entire app at any time, according to Google.

Lack of information

Google did not post a single screenshot of Google Essentials. The provided description is vague.

What is clear is that Google is paying HP for the inclusion and that HP customers will see the app soon on their devices.

It is unclear if this applies to new devices only, or if older HP devices will get the app installed retroactively as well.

Google revealed plans to increase the reach by entering partnerships with other PC manufacturers. The company expects to reveal new partnerships -- it says to more laptops and desktops -- in the coming months.

Closing Words

Google Essentials is an attempt to get a stronger foothold on PC. The app advertises Google services, some of them are in direct competition to Microsoft products.

Users who use the app need to be careful about the 2-month trial of Google One baked into the app as an offer, as it will result in a paid subscription if not cancelled.

Whether the app is going to convince PC users to give Google services a try remains to be seen.

It should be easy enough to remove the app if you do not need it. A right-click on the application's icon in the Start menu should be enough according to Google.

Other options include uninstalling it from Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, or using a third-party solution like O&O AppBuster.

What is your take on third-party apps that come preinstalled on your devices (PC or mobile). Do you find these useful or do you remove these from your devices immediately? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

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