Verizon reconsidering its disabling of Droid 2 and Droid X phones

Verizon has been disabling the uninstall function on Droid 2 and Droid X phones, preventing users from removing the factory-installed Blockbuster app. But a Verizon spokeswoman, while acknowledging that the wireless provider had, in fact, blocked users from removing that app, recently told me that Verizon was reconsidering this practice.

I first discovered this backwards leap in Verizon's smart phones (the earlier, original Droid had no such disability) when setting up a new Droid 2 for a family member last month.

The blockbuster app takes up a relatively small proportion of the Droid 2's 16GB of built-in memory, and you can remove its shortcut from your home screen. But it's still irksome, to say the least, that any Droid 2 owner should be forced to tote around an app not needed for the phone's essential functions and that they may never use. If you think I'm overreacting, imagine how annoyed you'd be if, say, Dell or HP had disabled Windows 7's ability to remove some third-party apps that it had preinstalled on its computers.

Droid forums are abuzz with gripes from frustrated users who couldn't delete the Blockbuster app because the uninstall feature was "grayed out."

My discovery follows those that colleague Mike Gikas noted recently on Verizon's new Fascinate smart phone. The carrier replaced Google Search (a feature virtually standard on Android-based phones) with Microsoft's Bing, which Mike found made it harder to find contacts and apps on the phone and also removed the phone's built-in turn-by-turn navigation feature. (Mike did find a workaround).

Verizon has had a history of disabling features on its wireless phones. But that habit seemed to have ended when it released the Droid Android phone last fall, which—unlike some earlier Verizon phones—let you install your own ringtones and freely transfer photos to your own computer.

With the disabling of Droid 2 and Droid X features, Verizon has returned to its old ways. Consumers can only hope that, after reconsidering its current position, the company decides that empowering consumers is better than disempowering them.

If you're a Verizon wireless customer, you can tell Verizon Wireless what you think of its practice of disabling its phones by e-mailing the company. Or call Verizon at 1-800-922-0204.

Have you been unable to remove an unwanted app on a Droid 2, Droid X, or any other Android phone? If so, weigh in below.

—Jeff Fox

—Jeffrey Fox