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Apps Allow this application -WHY?

ivone

Newbie
Ok, I know I am posting in Dev.section, but I have only one very short question and I am sure that guys here will know the answer.

Q: When installing some applications they ask for very strong permission!

Allow this application to:
Storage - modify/delete USB storage contents
Network communication - full Internet access
Phone calls - Read phone status and ID
A) is this normal
B) can any of the developer use the info to make any damage or take control of the phone
C) is requesting access really necessary

Some apps ask even for stronger access.
TIA
 
With those permissions an app could potentially upload every file on your external storage to an Internet server. It could also log every phone call you make to an Internet server.

That's why you've got to be careful. Install software only from reputable developers. Avoid software that would be too good to true; that is, that killer app that's amazingly free.


But here's what they're most likely used for.

Phones have limited internal storage. Users get upset if an app uses internal storage arbitrarily. So developers try to much as much of their data onto external storage as they can. But they need storage permission to be able to do that.

Apps, and games in particular, will want to access the Internet. Think game networks. Think ad networks. They need internet permission to be able to do that.

Speaking of ad networks, they like to know if ads are being served to the same user and what ads a user chooses to click through. For that, it needs some kind of user token for you. Every phone has such a unique user token, the IMEI. To access the IMEI, an app needs permission to read the read the phone state.


Personally I think the Android permission system is rubbish. The permissions are two broad. And as you say, every app asks for the same set of permissions. Users quickly get blas
 
Yes, I can understand that completely, but today it happen with application: Convertr v1.1.2 - why a program like this need such a strong permission?

I am getting paranoid

TIA
 
Hmmm... convertr v1.1.1 only required Internet access. I would guess so it could get exchange rates for currency conversion.

Have they added ads in v1.1.2?


v1.1.1.2 also only requires Internet access. Where are you finding v.1.1.2? Is it free?
 
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