Vodafone Pre-Load Issue of ScanLife / Bidi App

by david

Update [10.14.11] We have had a number of conversations with HTC and Vodafone about this issue and we have a little more detail for those affected.  A version of the ScanLife app called Bidi is commonly preloaded in devices for Spain specifically.  However, the app was also shipped with some HTC/Vodafone devices but never "activated", so you would have never seen the app on your device.  However, Google recently updated Android Market to automatically look for apps on the device and prompt the user to download the latest version.  In this case, the Bidi app was pre-set to auto-update and it goes to Market to get the version for your country which should be ScanLife.  This is why you were prompted to download an app that you have never seen before. Because the original app is in the ROM (or permanent device memory), it cannot be deleted (similar to other preloaded apps that you may get when you buy a new phone).  We do not yet know if there is a long term resolution to this issue, but we will continue to work with HTC, Vodafone, and Google.  We will update you here when we have new information.  In the mean time, please feel free to try the ScanLife app to scan QR Codes and UPC codes on products to get valuable information on your device. Thank you. ------------------- Over the past few days, a number of people from Europe and Latin America have reported receiving the ScanLife Barcode Reader application on their device (also known as BIDI in Spain). Our app is sometimes pre-loaded or built in by certain operators and some times an operator will push what is called a “virtual preload” which sends an app, or a bundle of apps, to your device through the network connection. In this case, it appears the BIDI app which is meant for Spain (in Spanish) went to devices in other counties as part of a larger bundle. Vodafone seems to have configured the bundle in a way that makes it impossible for the user to delete the app.  Other apps like Twitter were also included.  So far, only Vodafone and only the HTC Desire [added HTC Wildfire] have been reported to be involved with this phenomenon in countries like Germany and Ireland. The app on Android Market is NOT MALWARE. It is a perfectly safe app which is used by over 8 million people around the world to scan mobile barcode like QR Codes or UPC Codes from products. We are working with Vodafone to understand the root of this issue, and provide some possible options for you to delete the app if you would like. However, in the mean time, please know this issue was outside of our control, so your negative reviews are unfairly hurting our credibility. We hope that you will try the app, and find it a useful tool to link you to relevant information and content from the physical world. You can see some ways it can be used from our YouTube page. We will post new updates here as we have them.  Thanks for your support and understanding.