Unwanted apps and their updates

[KJB01]

I keep getting update alerts from WHAT'S NEW. They relate to booking.com. I have never installed this app, it is not on my 'phone. I have never used them. Yet Sony' s WHAT'S NEW keeps appearing as an app update. It is not pre installed either. Does anyone know how to stop this nonsense? Regards. 

[Damo_]

I ended up installing the app (booking.com) then disabling data access & notifications on it, and hid the app icon in a junk folder I have. Far from ideal but only way it'll stop notifying you. Poor design.

[KJB01 · Accepted solution]

Thank you. That sounds like a good idea to me. Just imagine if this happened with a load of apps we never had. 💥 Best regards. 

[KJB01]

Looks like booking.com are paying Sony to SHOVE their app at every software update. SO I'LL BE DELETING IT AGAIN. I recommend every user to do the same. I never installed and was bugged to update after January so called search security patch. February is doing the same. I have no intention of using booking.com, so will install, silence updates... AND DELETE again!! 💥 Thanks Sony. 

[Damo_]

Yup if you delete (uninstall) it'll just prompt you to download again (same with a lot of the other bloatware). Best bet as I said is install, revoke data prividge, hide notifications and icon then just forget it's there.

[KJB01]

Thanks. Will do. Best regards. 🍀 

[hi-fidelity]

Did you try to long press the entry in "What's New"? I was able to hide it (and all others) there. It still appears in "Settings > System > Software update" dialog, but I never get any push notification or stuff like that.

[Snapples]

I don't seem to be having this problem.

All third party apps can be disabled on my device.

[KJB01]

Unfortunately, this app has to be bloatware as far as I'm concerned. It installed on my XZ1 Compact with January security patch, came back with February. I had no desire to use booking.com but Sony 'chose' it for me. Suppose updates are not necessary unless you want the latest choices made by Sony for your handset. I have given a posting warning of this on play store. Regards. 

[Yekollu]

On my device apart from Booking, there was further crap like Facebook, Deezer, Amazon's suite and Antivirus!

Used ADB commands to remove them all, perhaps you should try it as well

By the way, Sony's apps can be uninstalled directly while these  bloatware cannot be uninstalled which i find a bit odd