Require explanation on phone behavior for crashing apps

[Johncoool]

This random app crashes was noticed since I started using Android 10. I thought it was related to the weak H/W. Android 10 was on a weak device. The Samsung galaxy A06.

This issue is also seen in more modern phone running Android 15. The phone is a budget phone but it is quick and has 8+8 GB RAM.

When check online of the issue could be. The tip was that it might have been triggered by the L.M.K. (a feature called low memory killer). However the phone does not use more than 5GB of RAM. so it gives it plenty of headroom to work with. LMK usually does not trigger below 95%.

The apps that crash are the ones that I require to always be running and have a permanent place in the notification area. I noticed that I need to keep them open in the background so that they don't close when I close the screen. So they are always there in recent.

They are security apps and they block off the Mic and another blocks the camera.

If I would stop blocking the mic to record a message on whatsapp. A few seconds of recording the message apps would crash. and recording stops and have to start recording again, sometimes, it happens several times in a row.

Can someone let me know what is going on and how to do a proper check on what is causing this instability?

 

[Hadron]

Can I check I've understood correctly? You have installed some (unspecified) apps to block mic and camera access (rather than use the phone's permission system to limit which apps can access these features), and you say that these apps are crashing but then you instead say that message apps are crashing when you try to use features these things would block. So if it these "security apps" that are crashing, the message apps that crash, or both?

If the problem is the message apps crashing when you try to use the mic one possibility is that the security app is buggy and still interferes with other apps trying to use the mic, even though you've turned the blocking off. Do you have similar problems with voice calls? Since you've not named these apps nobody here can tell you whether they are known to be problematic. And how often are these apps updated? Things that try to block mic/camera access, presumably without root, are things I would expect to need maintenance to keep them compatible as the OS develops, so if they are not actively maintained that would make it more likely that they are the problem. (As an aside, I'm always wary of security apps because of the privileges they need to work: you need to be sure the developer can be trusted.)

Personally I would not bother with such things: I just restrict which apps have the permission to access those features, and be careful about what apps I install and where I install them from (and treat any app that asks for permissions it shouldn't need with suspicion). But if you feel more comfortable with them then maybe try an alternative app instead and see whether it works better (with the caveat above that you need to be sure you trust the developer: remember that online reviews are not necessarily a good indicator of trustworthiness).

 

[Johncoool]

Is anyone up for trying the app or apps to see if they have issues. maybe try it for a week or 2.

I want to be sure that it is not the LMK...

 

[puppykickr]

Is anyone up for trying the app or apps to see if they have issues. maybe try it for a week or 2.

I want to be sure that it is not the LMK...

i may have a device that i could use for the purpose but i am limited on internet at this time.

if you post links and the device info, i can see what devices i have that could be similar, and test them for you.

as far as a microphone blocking app goes, as far as i understand they can only block the mic use for apps that the user installs, so that means that system apps would still need to be blocked as described above.

PilferShush Jammer from F-droid is a nice mic blocking app.

PilferShush Jammer | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Block unwanted use of onboard microphone

f-droid.org

 

[Johncoool]

The issue should show up for any android phone that has Android 10 and Above. I faced this issue with different mic and camera blocking apps. But the only 2 apps that block and work for any app are in the below links. Other blocking apps don't seem to block every single app mic and camera.

Camera Locker - Apps on Google Play

Simple camera lock app. Protect unintentional camera use!

play.google.com

Mic Blocker & Guard - Anti Spy - Apps on Google Play

Disable phone's microphone to protect against unauthorized listening & recording

play.google.com

I do give access only for the apps that I need. But even so. I keep them blocked until I need to use them.
I really appreciate the fact that you are testing them too.

 

[puppykickr]

The issue should show up for any android phone that has Android 10 and Above. I faced this issue with different mic and camera blocking apps. But the only 2 apps that block and work for any app are in the below links. Other blocking apps don't seem to block every single app mic and camera.

Camera Locker - Apps on Google Play

Simple camera lock app. Protect unintentional camera use!

play.google.com

Mic Blocker & Guard - Anti Spy - Apps on Google Play

Disable phone's microphone to protect against unauthorized listening & recording

play.google.com

I do give access only for the apps that I need. But even so. I keep them blocked until I need to use them.
I really appreciate the fact that you are testing them too.

i have devices of much lower caliber, but i think that may help in this respect since we are testing for excessive memory use.

the first thing i would do on your part is to open developers options and check runnimg services to see what apps are using the most memory.

then leave this open in recents and do exactly (no more no less) than you do when it crashes (make it do so) and then use recents to open running services again.

whatever is largest and/or new may very well be the culprit.
(it might not be the actual apps in question here)

also, as far as i know android only permits one app at a time to have access to the microphone (this is why it became more difficult to record phone calls).
this only applies to apps that you have installed, possibly not with system apps, that is always a big "if".

keep in mind that the apps you have selected both come from the Play Store.

this is in effect like hiring a robber to run your security, as in my mind they are the very reason to want to block mic and camera access in the first place.

even apps that appear on the Play Store and a trusted source like F-droid can have things added/subtracted from the FOSS version in order to be offered on the Play Store.

i used to use a great firewall that after an 'update' it became possible for 'something' to turn the firewall off even if i had the VPN service locked on.

anyway, i would be highly suspect of ANY 'security' type app that comes from Google Play Store because at the very least it will most likely have trackers and use info, along with crash analytics, device info, location, and any number of things that Google can sell to whomever they choose.

personally, any device that has apps like these from the Play Store should be considered compromised.

using a FOSS camera app and inactivating the stock one, along with any associated stock 'camera tuning' or whatever apps may help with camera security, especially if you can control internet access of the camera.

i used to use Pandroid camera blocker, but it seems to not work on modern devices.

so i block the mic and just use a trusted camera app from F-droid.

also note that Google wants to 'lock down' devices from installing apps from places like F-droid.

once again, this just makes them even more suspect and untrustworthy.

think of all the scam ads that tell you something is wrong with your device, and when you click it, it takes you to an app on the Play Store (every single time)

so i will test these out when i can download them, which will be as soon as i can, i need wifi to do so.

in the end, i found it much better to just use a firewall and to eliminate the apps that offend and use FOSS alternate apps for the utilities

this is instead of running multiple more apps that use memory and all have issues of themselves.

there are multiple ways to do this, even wireless ADB commands (no computer required!) if you have android 11 or above

It's not to easy at first, but i wound up with a device that i feel better about

 

[puppykickr]

both of the above mentioned apps have ads, so a firewall would be desired anyway.

this is yet another reason i went the route that i did.

anyway, i have locate a cheap android 10 in my collection, and it even has Google poo that 'cant' be turned off, so it should work fine for the test.

Motorola Moto e (2020) 3GB/32GB , Android 10, 67% internal memory used (before apps installed)

 

[Johncoool]

Thanks for the update.

It should show up once you start using apps that need the mic...