Oppo and Realme said on Tuesday that they have stopped selling smartphones with the Fineasy lending app pre-installed in Thailand, following a public outcry about data privacy.
The Chinese mobile phone brands also said they would end pre-installation of all loan apps on new smartphone models.
The companies apologised for inconvenience caused to mobile phone users and said they were working closely with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and other agencies to take urgent steps against third-party apps offering loans.
The NBTC on Monday ordered importers and distributors of the two brands to cease selling phone models pre-installed with the Fineasy app.
Oppo and Realme said that as of Monday evening, pre-installation of the Fineasy app ceased. Any models on which there were problems uninstalling the app would be withdrawn from sale.
As of Tuesday, pre-installation of all other third-party programs offering loans ended.
Starting from Thursday, an over-the-air update for new smartphone models will be released, on which Fineasy will not be pre-installed.
The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) on Sunday urged the two brands brands — Realme is a subsidiary of Oppo — to provide an explanation following reports from users that unauthorised loan applications, such as Fineasy, had been pre-installed on their smartphones.
Because they were system apps, they were next to impossible for ordinary users without advanced skills to uninstall. As well, they were capable of sending loan invitations and accessing users’ personal data, including their contact lists and phone numbers, the council said.
Installing software without user consent is a violation of user rights and raises concerns over the potential misuse of personal information, such as financial exploitation or fraud by call centre scams, the TCC said.
Cybercrime police say they will take action against the two brands under the Computer Crime Act.
Investigators found that the Fineasy app came bundled with ColorOs, the Android-based mobile operating system developed by Oppo and Realme, said Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiewphan, chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).
Version 15, the current version, was found to have the Fineasy and Happy Loan apps embedded he said.
Such action violates Section 13 of the Computer Crime Act, which carries a fine of up to 20,000 baht and/or a jail term of up to one year.
The CCIB had yet to receive complaints from any damaged parties, he added.
100 million downloads
Fineasy reportedly has deals with Oppo in many countries, with more than 100 million downloads from the Google Play Store.
The website of the company consists of a single page, with a registered business address in Singapore. The support email is a Gmail address and not a company address.
Oppo led all smartphone brands in Southeast Asia with a 21% market share of units shipped in the third quarter of 2024, according to data compiled by Canalys. It also led in Thailand with a 24% share, well ahead of Samsung (17%) and Apple (14%), the company said.
In terms of value, Oppo ranked first in Thailand with an estimated share of 23.2%, followed by Samsung (19.0%) and Apple (15.7%) in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the IT research firm IDC.
- Editorial: Sell phones, not loans
“Fineasy announces the end of this service” reads the message on an Oppo phone after a user selected the app on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo: Komsan Jandamit)