Wasn't sure where to look

[mrw5641]

I didn't see much but I was wondering why would an App like Calorie Count want to know your location, read phone state and hardware controls (take pictures) ....

Alot of apps that don't seem to need these features ask for it, whats up with that

 

[johnny_w]

Take a look at this thread:
http://androidforums.com/android-ap...ps-avoid-viruses-guide-those-new-android.html
It gives some clues about why some programs ask for certain accesses.

 

[mrw5641]

johnny i did see that before , I just didnt understand why that patricular app asked for those accesses,

 

[johnny_w]

Oh, sorry. Guess I'm no help at all. I've had the same question about apps that want access to things that have noting to do with the app itself. I guess the only one who can really answer your question is the dev themselves. And before you point it out, I know, this was really no help either.
Sorry
Johnny_W

 

[DaWeav]

I didn't see much but I was wondering why would an App like Calorie Count want to know your location, read phone state and hardware controls (take pictures) ....

A lot of apps that don't seem to need these features ask for it, whats up with that

android.permission.CAMERA
Probably when it uses the camera to take bar code scans.

android.permission.INTERNET
For adds of course, but also for users like me who signed up at Fatsecret which allows anything you enter on this phone app to sync with your account on Fatsecret. Not to mention searching their food database.

android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
When accessing and doing stuff needs to know if the phone is awake, not overloaded, and has good battery condition I guess.

android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
Not sure since it doesn't search restaurants and stuff from your present location. But to me this isn't a security threat.

android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE
When accessing and doing online stuff it needs to know if the phone has a data connection so it can download adds, look up foods in the database, and sync itself. If it doesn't check, then I imagine the app would hang for periods of time until a network timeout occurred.

 

[mrw5641]

ok that helps alot, that really explains it, u got any more of those?

 

[takeshi]

johnny i did see that before , I just didnt understand why that patricular app asked for those accesses,

Have you looked into the detailed features of the application? That and the guide linked above should answer your questions.