Samsung is under scrutiny after recent investigations suggested that some of its smartphones in the Middle East and North Africa may come preloaded with an app from an Israeli company. The app reportedly collects sensitive data and cannot be easily uninstalled by users.
The digital rights group SMEX reports that the app, often identified as AppCloud or Aura, is pre-installed or installed through updates on Galaxy A and M series phones sold in the region under Samsung’s partnership with the Israeli firm since about 2022.
The app is said to be deeply embedded in the operating system, cannot be removed without rooting the phone, and lacks a transparent privacy policy or clear opt-out mechanism.
The alleged data collection includes IP addresses, device fingerprints, biometric identifiers, location tracking and other metadata which could be used to identify or track individuals.
In regions where surveillance is already a concern, the implications are particularly serious. From a consumer perspective, this raises major red flags about transparency, consent and device security.
If you own a Samsung A or M series device in a sensitive region, check your apps for AppCloud Monitor permissions, turn off automatic updates where possible, and consider using a different device or model that gives you better control.
For Samsung, the reputational risk is very real. If the reports are confirmed, the company could face deeper investigations from both regulators and human-rights groups.
The main concern is not just whether the app exists, but whether users were clearly informed, whether their consent was genuine, and whether they had the option to remove the app or choose alternatives.
While it hasn’t been confirmed that AppCloud is being used for spying, the fact that it comes pre-installed and is hard to remove could be worrying for users.
Because of this concern, Samsung might allow users to uninstall or disable AppCloud, or at least turn off its recommendations permanently. However, there’s no guarantee that this will happen.
