Having considered the S8 I bought a Sim free Samsung XCover 4 and I was shocked at the levels of crap that the phone has on it. There are 11 Samsung/Microsoft apps (excluding Touchwiz) that I can't delete/don't want and that's before the usual offerings from Google. If anyone from Samsung is reading this I'd be happy to pay extra for one without the Bloatware.

Samsung hasn't been shy about bloatware. It is much less than it had been. I will say this about their browser, it isn't terrible. Between it and Chrome, if you're not using the sync on chrome, I'd just stick with the Samsung browser.

That all being said, no clue how updates have been going for it.

With Package Disabler Pro you can disable pretty much anything on the device. it's not quite as good as deleting them, but it's close.

Also, WIRunner is right. Give Samsung browser a chance. It's much faster in my experience than Chrome. You lose the ability to sync your browsing with Chrome on your PC, but IMHO that's a small price to pay for a much smoother browsing experience.

The main reason I'm annoyed is because of the space all this rubbish takes up. I only bought a new phone was because the existing one was running out of space on the phone. I moved as many apps to the SD card as possible and still it was complaining about space. To then discover they'd added in a load of stuff I don't need or want was just annoying however I have discovered that Samsung allows you to disable a lot of this stuff but not delete it and with my chosen launcher it can be hidden. I'll have a look at the PDP that you suggested for the rest. I don't use Chrome or the Samsung browser I use Firefox and I don't use email on it I use a BlackBerry for that. They've also now included apps from Microsoft and probably got paid to do so. Just want my 500MB back. ;)

PDP will allow you to disable more than Touchwiz allows you by default. I can sympathize with your frustration regarding space, and I see the xcover has only 16 GB storage. That's already too low. On the flagships they start at 64 GB now, so it's less of a concern.

I used the Zagg Invisishield Curved Glass. One drop on the ground and it completely separated from the phone. I talked to one local Zagg representative that said a new, improved screen was coming out. I talked to a CSR on the phone and they said no, that was only for the iPhone 7. After a couple of weeks, I went back to a local Zagg kiosk at the mall. He traded my curved glass protector for their Sapphire protective cover. It works awesome. I have no issues with the touch or swipe motions.

While I was waiting for a solution to a new protective cover, I asked a few other places about a good screen protector. They all tried to get me to buy a liquid screen protector. Apparently, it is spread on the screen and hardens after a while. It doesn't protect the screen from shattering but apparently is pretty scratch resistent. They offer $100 towards a screen repair if the screen cracks.

Overall, I am happy with the Zagg Sapphire protector. I has been 3 days and works great.

Well, I have had my Samsung S8 for 6 months or so. In August (right before I was set to leave on a 2 week road trip), my phone got knocked off the armchair and hit the end table leg in such a way it cracked the screen in the only place that wasnt fully protected (right on the end of the edge portion of the screen and no screen protector). Doh! It could fall off the same chair and probably not happen again. I go to a local screen repair place and it cost $350 for the repair. Ouch!

I also needed to get a new screen protector from Zagg. I know I could order one on line but I prefer to go their local kiosks in the mall. I went 2 weekends ago and there was a line of 20 people apparently looking for the same thing. I went home where I promptly dropped my phone out of my shirt pocket. Now the screen has a bunch of spider web cracks on the right side. Double Doh!!

This Samsung is turning into an expensive phone. I think my next phone will be one of those Jitterbug phones in the AARP commercials.

Minimal bezels makes it more vulnerable to screen cracking or breaking?

The new Samsungs have the curved glass. The screen protector only covers the flat part of the screen. That makes a small area vulnerable (like in my first cracked screen). It hit right on the sweet spot to cause damage.

As it turns out, the new curved glass are extremely susceptible to cracked screens and they are expensive to fix. The place I went to (uBreakiFix or something like that) got a new screen from the manufacturer for the princely sum of $350. Now the cost is $250 if I took it back there.

That is quite the string of bad luck. With the aftermarket replacement, I wouldn't count on the water resistance working any longer though. I like the concept of the Samsung infinity displays, but the execution from the LG G6 was better. I don't mind a small bezel on the side for display protection.

Yeah, that is what the guy that replaced the first screen. He said it "should" be but dont try it. I don't usually have an issue but watch. I will probably drop it into a puddle and get it water logged and crack a 3rd screen.

Most of the screen protectors for the late model Samsungs (I have the Note 8) are curved at the edges ... the ones that protect only the flat portion of the screen are pretty rare. The problem with the curved protectors, though, is that most of them only have adhesive along the edges and they end up with dust adhered to the little bit of exposed adhesive.

There is a curved protector that uses full-adhesive backing; the adhesive is UV-cured and doesn't have the dust issue. It's the Whitestone Dome. Pricey when compared to the more conventional protectors, but it seems like it might be a good investment for you ;)