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Can' remove entries from the applications list

How do I delete an item (icon) from the Application List? - I touch/hold the unwanted icon, the phone "buzzes" briefly and a bar containing the trash can icon appears at the foot of the screen. I drag the unwanted icon to the trash can and, when the icon turns red, release it. The icon, however, remains in the list.
Settings/Applications/Manage applications claims to enable removal of such items but I can't find any way of doing so, the closest it gets is "Clear Data" and "Clear Cache".
The applications I want to remove came with the phone so I wonder whether the phone manufacturer entered into a contract with the app
 
Most apps that come with the phone are in the "ROM" part of the device, which means it can't normally be modified (or removed) by the user, but in these cases the option to remove isn't usually offered - ther's no bin icon.

I have however come across normal apps that are coded to make removal by dragging to the bin not functional, presumably to discourage removal but in most cases they can still be removed from the app info page. If you find no "uninstall" button there you're probably out of luck, although depending on which device and Android version you have you may be able to "disable" even ROM apps, making them effectively disappear.

Which phone and Android version are you using?
 
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Dear John Bean,

Thanks very much for your message. The info. you requested is as follows:

Handset - Samsung Galaxy Ace
Android - 2.3.6 (Gingerbread)

Apropos of storage location, according to Settings/Storage, I have three separate storage "areas" on my phone designated respectively "SD card", "USB storage" and "System storage". The first of these I identify as the removable memory module/stick/card which I inserted myself but I am not clear about the other two. Is the last one the "ROM" to which you refer in your message? I'm inclined to think not as an "Available space" figure is given which isn't really relevant if you can't write to it. However, if it is not "ROM", how does it differ from the one designated "USB storage"
 
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I can't remember how things were in Gingerbread, and Samsung tend to do things a little differently from plain Android anyway, clouding the issue further. But what I referred to as "ROM" probably equates to "System storage" and by a process of elimination "USB storage" presumably refers to the normal user storage where apps are typically installed.

Unless you're rooted you can't do anything with the system storage, it's "Read Only Memory" or "ROM", and that's probably where the apps you can't remove are installed. Unfortunately Gingerbread also lacks the ability to disable (aka "freeze") unwanted apps, an feature added to more recent Android versions.

Bottom line is that you're probably stuck with them unless you root the phone, then you could use (say) Titanium Backup to "freeze" or even remove any app no matter where it is installed. I have no personal experience of Samsung phones so I can't help with any details but there are guides linked in this sticky in the Galaxy Ace - All Things Root forum.

If you wish I can move this thread to the Galaxy Ace forum where you may receive more advice than in the Android Lounge, just let me know if that's what you want.
 
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