4 ms·

So why not just remove the Contacts API entirely then? If it exists, "shady operators" can misuse it. Oh and, camera apps made by "shady operators" could be sen

by bakugo 4y ago

So why not just remove the Contacts API entirely then? If it exists, "shady operators" can misuse it. Oh and, camera apps made by "shady operators" could be sending your pictures to questionable places so why not remove the Camera API as well? And we can't forget that "shady operators" could be snooping through your files so let's remove the filesystem API too. Actually now that I think about it, any app could be malware, so let's just deal with the root of the problems and remove support for installing third party apps entirely. Everyone should just use apps made by google and nothing else, that way you know there aren't any spooky shady operators hiding under your bed.

pjmlp 4y ago
They already removed filesystem API for quite some time now, you're only allowed to read inside the application directory, anywhere else on the device requires SAF. https://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/storage https://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/stor...
- gizmo686 4y ago
  Android still has an API to allow access to all files that were previously allowed. It just requires an explicit opt in from the user. https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/manage-all-files https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/manage-a...
  - pjmlp 4y ago
    Read the fine print, >To limit broad access to shared storage, the Google Play store has updated its policy to evaluate apps that target Android 11 (API level 30) or higher and request "All files access" through the MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. This policy takes effect in May 2021.
forgetbook 4y ago
Slippery slope--There's a reasonable middle ground between "disallow all api access" and "allow all api access"
- mplewis 4y ago
  Sure, but the entire problem is that Google does not seem to be able to manage the middle ground and proper use of it.
- hn_go_brrrrr 4y ago
  There is such a reasonable middle ground, but Android is falling down that slope at an alarming rate.
pydry 4y ago
They could just make the contacts API use an inbuilt contact picker than just supplies to the app the contact the user selects each time they make a call. I assume they want google apps to have access to the whole phonebook without looking too suss though.
- saagarjha 4y ago
  This doesn’t work when you get an incoming call, and it’s annoying for outgoing ones too.
  - pydry 4y ago
    It absolutely could. You could have a permission to do a lookup on the contacts list. These lookups could then be logged and tracked.
- utucuro 4y ago
  > I assume they want google apps to have access to the whole phonebook without looking too suss though. This is why I hope Google and Apple both get forced to give up control of either the OS or the app marketplaces. No company should own both the platform and have a privileged place on that platform like they do today. MS didn't even have this level of control on Windows and they still got an antitrust lawsuit...
- mcfedr 4y ago
  This is a horrible user experience, ends up like iOS where there are great apple apps, and everything else is second class. The great thing of android is that you can choose a different dialer or different sms app, and it can be as good as the preinstalled one
  - pydry 4y ago
    Being able to install an anime themed dialer that will exfiltrate your address book isnt making android better. Neither are the slew of apps that simply fucking break if they dont get access to every last one of your contacts. Granular permissions intelligently designed do not make for a worse experience they make for a better one.
sgc 4y ago
They won't let you call anything but their crappy camera app by intent already, for supposed privacy reasons. As you intimate, what is the point of allowing mobile apps, if they can't access any of the features of the device? Because that is where they are heading, fast. A few crappy google apps that require 24/7 spying to work, and then they "protect you" from everyone else. Sounds like an old school mafia street racket.
- esprehn 4y ago
  That sounds like iOS? Only Apple apps have access to all the system level capabilities and you can't replace any of the system apps, not even the browser.
  - sgc 4y ago
    It would be fair if one were to conclude that I don't like iOS. But my comment made a few different points, including about google's app quality, not only forcing default apps but also disallowing user choice where it should exist in a pervasive, hard to see way (for the end user), and invasive tracking. Frankly, over the last week I have been looking into whether there is a relatively straightforward way to write an app for a mobile linux, because I am at the point I am willing to get rid of several common apps, such as banking apps, to get off this nauseating hamster wheel.
    - fragmede 4y ago
      We have the technology for virtual machines, and phones are pretty beefy these days. where's my Linux phone hypervisor with android guest?
      - sgc 4y ago
        There is Anbox, which just uses the same kernel for Linux and Android. But it is incomplete and not very active. Basically, we don't even need a hypervisor, but apparently it's still not easy. https://github.com/anbox/anbox https://github.com/anbox/anbox
LocalH 4y ago
Welcome to iOS 1
fencepost 4y ago
Everyone should just use apps made by google and nothing else, that way you know there aren't any spooky shady operators hiding under your bed. You left out 'other'. Notable because Google long ago left behind 'don't be evil' and now is failing at 'FFS, at least try to not be f*cking creepy.'
daniel-cussen 4y ago

by bakugo 4y ago

pjmlp 4y ago

They already removed filesystem API for quite some time now, you're only allowed to read inside the application directory, anywhere else on the device requires SAF. https://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/storage https://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/stor...

gizmo686 4y ago
Android still has an API to allow access to all files that were previously allowed. It just requires an explicit opt in from the user. https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/manage-all-files https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/manage-a...
- pjmlp 4y ago
  Read the fine print, >To limit broad access to shared storage, the Google Play store has updated its policy to evaluate apps that target Android 11 (API level 30) or higher and request "All files access" through the MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. This policy takes effect in May 2021.

forgetbook 4y ago

Slippery slope--There's a reasonable middle ground between "disallow all api access" and "allow all api access"

mplewis 4y ago
Sure, but the entire problem is that Google does not seem to be able to manage the middle ground and proper use of it.
hn_go_brrrrr 4y ago
There is such a reasonable middle ground, but Android is falling down that slope at an alarming rate.

pydry 4y ago

They could just make the contacts API use an inbuilt contact picker than just supplies to the app the contact the user selects each time they make a call. I assume they want google apps to have access to the whole phonebook without looking too suss though.

saagarjha 4y ago
This doesn’t work when you get an incoming call, and it’s annoying for outgoing ones too.
- pydry 4y ago
  It absolutely could. You could have a permission to do a lookup on the contacts list. These lookups could then be logged and tracked.
utucuro 4y ago
> I assume they want google apps to have access to the whole phonebook without looking too suss though. This is why I hope Google and Apple both get forced to give up control of either the OS or the app marketplaces. No company should own both the platform and have a privileged place on that platform like they do today. MS didn't even have this level of control on Windows and they still got an antitrust lawsuit...
mcfedr 4y ago
This is a horrible user experience, ends up like iOS where there are great apple apps, and everything else is second class. The great thing of android is that you can choose a different dialer or different sms app, and it can be as good as the preinstalled one
- pydry 4y ago
  Being able to install an anime themed dialer that will exfiltrate your address book isnt making android better. Neither are the slew of apps that simply fucking break if they dont get access to every last one of your contacts. Granular permissions intelligently designed do not make for a worse experience they make for a better one.

sgc 4y ago

They won't let you call anything but their crappy camera app by intent already, for supposed privacy reasons. As you intimate, what is the point of allowing mobile apps, if they can't access any of the features of the device? Because that is where they are heading, fast. A few crappy google apps that require 24/7 spying to work, and then they "protect you" from everyone else. Sounds like an old school mafia street racket.

esprehn 4y ago
That sounds like iOS? Only Apple apps have access to all the system level capabilities and you can't replace any of the system apps, not even the browser.
- sgc 4y ago
  It would be fair if one were to conclude that I don't like iOS. But my comment made a few different points, including about google's app quality, not only forcing default apps but also disallowing user choice where it should exist in a pervasive, hard to see way (for the end user), and invasive tracking. Frankly, over the last week I have been looking into whether there is a relatively straightforward way to write an app for a mobile linux, because I am at the point I am willing to get rid of several common apps, such as banking apps, to get off this nauseating hamster wheel.
  - fragmede 4y ago
    We have the technology for virtual machines, and phones are pretty beefy these days. where's my Linux phone hypervisor with android guest?
    - sgc 4y ago
      There is Anbox, which just uses the same kernel for Linux and Android. But it is incomplete and not very active. Basically, we don't even need a hypervisor, but apparently it's still not easy. https://github.com/anbox/anbox https://github.com/anbox/anbox

LocalH 4y ago

Welcome to iOS 1

fencepost 4y ago

Everyone should just use apps made by google and nothing else, that way you know there aren't any spooky shady operators hiding under your bed. You left out 'other'. Notable because Google long ago left behind 'don't be evil' and now is failing at 'FFS, at least try to not be f*cking creepy.'

daniel-cussen 4y ago