Samsung’s gaming optimization service reportedly sets performance limits for some Galaxy phones, but it’s not limited to gaming and includes popular software and services. Samsung has launched an internal investigation after being accused of limiting the performance of 10,000 apps on smartphones using its Game Optimization Service (GOS).
As reported by Android Authority, the list of apps with performance limitations has been uploaded to MediaFire as a spreadsheet. Apps on the list are not limited to games and include popular software and services such as Netflix, TikTok, and Microsoft Office, as well as Samsung’s own apps (Secure Folder, Samsung Cloud, Samsung Pay, Samsung Pass). However, performance benchmark apps such as 3DMark and GFXBench are missing, which should come as no surprise.
GOS is available for free download from the Galaxy Store, and the description says it’s “a must-have app for gamers using Galaxy devices.” User feedback is not very positive, with many demanding that an uninstall option be added to completely get rid of the app. It is not known on which Samsung smartphones it is preinstalled. Android Authority has confirmed that it is not on the Galaxy S22, S20 FE, or S10e series, but is on the Galaxy S21+ and apparently cannot be disabled or uninstalled.
Samsung’s response to the discovery of this list is to conduct an internal investigation, and the company plans to make an official announcement about it “soon”. It will be interesting to see if he confirms that this is aimed at extending the battery life of certain phones. An alternative explanation is hard to imagine.
