[Moto G4 Play Questions & Answers] Tony3610:
**PLEASE HELP!**

For the past few months, I've been experienceing a problem with certain apps. I'll go in order. Apologies for being rather lengthy, but I wanted to include everything to avoid confusion.

I tried to sideload some kind of computer program file on my Moto G4, unknown to me that it wasn't possible on an Android phone. Somehow, somewhere in the process of opening a zip file, I discover that in my App List, there are certain apps that I have never seen on my phone before.

This was a strange occurence, so I went to delete them, and they wouldn't uninstall no matter how many times I tried. After extensive research and work with some file browsers, I found that these suspicious things have installed themselves to my root directory, specifically, most in my OEM folder.

I tried a factory data reset through the bootloader and a cache partition wipe, and yet, they were still present upon setting up the phone after the process. The strange thing is, they don't appear on my traditional app list, even though they've made themselves part of the system: I had to use an app viewer from the Google Play Store to be able to see them. Every representative from Moto and Google said "are you sure they aren't part of the system?" I can assure you, these apps do not belong on my phone. Some aren't even available in my country, nor am I affiliated with the carriers some apps represent, yet they are on my phone. Some don't even appear in the Play Store: I once again use an app list to view Market Details, as those that aren't available don't show up by normal search.

I've done everything I can think of: multiple wipes and setting up without a backup, setting up a dummy account (where they were still present), exchanging my phone for a replacement, in which case they still appeared, I've even gone as far as to root the phone and install a custom recovery, which did solve the problem (temporarily, unfortunately).

Later, after removing the apps from the root directory with SU, I made a mistake in TWRP Recovery and had to purchase a new phone (Moto G4 Play), as my mistake was too much for me to try to fix.

Well, the phone arrived, I logged in, and there they were. The apps that continue to haunt me. I'm just having trouble understanding how the apps are so persistent, persistent enough to occur on TWO phones. This leads me to believe they're somehow tied to my Google Account, even though these apps are nowhere in my purchase history (because, again, the phones think they're system apps).

No matter how many phones I buy, they'll always come back, it seems. Even after removing the APK files sprinkled in my Root Directory on my ROOTED Moto G4, they were tenacious enough to transfer to the next phone.

I know the problem: they've embedded into the system files. The question is: the system files are local and device specific, how in the world are they carrying over to multiple phones, as if tied with an account of some sort?

Even if I rooted my Moto G4 Play, I know this is only a surface, Band-Aid Fix.. I know know that rooting does not expel the APKs it from whatever they are clinging onto.

NOTE: Even though these apps haven't yet displayed/executed tasks with malicious intents, nor request any permissions within their Application Details Page (appears thru PlayStore App List as they aren't found in my traditional app list), ROM Toolbox and other App Viewers indicate permissions where the Application Details Pages ) failed to indicate.

NOTE: I'm well aware that the app names/app manufacturers are valid and are well known (Motorola Mobility, Republic Wireless, etc.), BUT, my concern is for the fact that some are NOT available in my country, or affiliated with my actual carrier, yet they're on my phone (Canada, Mexico, etc. ->Republic Wireless, Consumer Cellular, etc.). Even if these apps are "valid" the fact that they've found their way onto my phone and may very well be a modified version is cause for concern.

If anyone has had a similar experience and has found a solution, please let me know!

List of Suspicious APKs/Applications With Details:

App Box 0.3.02.52

>Motorola Mobility LLC

>Package Name: com.motorola.brapps

App Widget 1.0_2612

>Bell Canada

>Package Name: ca.bell.wt.android.tunesappswidget

Republic Wireless 3xVPL-32ba3d0-5

>Republic Wireless

>Package Name: com.republicwireless.tel

My Consumer Cellular 2.0.1

>Consumer Cellular, Inc

>Package Name: cci.usage

Prip Omega-5-3-0-1-5

>AT&T Mexico

>Package Name: com.motorola.ptt.prip

Prip Omega-5-4-0-1-5 (Prip-Rádio Nextel)

>Nextel International (Services) Ltd.

>Package Name: com.motorola.ptt.prip.br