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This is the only way that permissions should be implemented by any mobile platform. Without it, users are forced to decide at install time whether the payoff o
by notdonspaulding 13y ago
This is the only way that permissions should be implemented by any mobile platform. Without it, users are forced to decide at install time whether the payoff of having the app installed is worth the associated risk of granting ALL permissions the app requests. It's a hard choice to make before you've even installed the app.
Jeff Atwood describes the app-installation-headaches nicely here: http://blog.codinghorror.com/app-pocalypse-now/ http://blog.codinghorror.com/app-pocalypse-now/
- greatsuccess 13y agoActually, there is no reason for any of this. What app needs my contacts to function? None, so they are just stealing my contacts. What app needs my photos to function? None, so they are just stealing my photo library. Facebook you say? no why would I have to give an app "access to my photos" to upload a picture? Apple has sold us all into the hand of scrapers and pretends that asking permission is an answer, and it IS, but only for the scrapers.
- kylec 13y agoNo kidding. Not to mention that a lot of Android developers have the mentality to request every permission they could possibly conceive of using in the future so that the user doesn't reject a potential future update for asking for more permissions. So every single app you install nowadays seems to want access to everything and there's no way to prevent it short of canceling the app installation.
- jsight 13y agoI don't really blame them either. Android will not automatically update apps that ask for additional permissions. I suspect that a lot of users end up never updating apps like this. It makes a lot of sense for the developer to request everything that he might want upfront.
- click170 13y agoI'm probably in the minority here, but if I try to install an app and it requests any permission that I think is inappropriate for what I want to do with said app, then the app is not installed. Peroid. And yes, I also decline to update apps that demand additional permissions. Requesting more permissions up front will not help you with this, at least not with me. My 2c.
- sizzle 13y agoroot your phone and install: https://github.com/M66B/XPrivacy https://github.com/M66B/XPrivacy
- jimmaswell 13y agoI just don't care as long as it's not sending texts or emails on its own. I can't see the point in caring so much.
- higherpurpose 13y agoFacebook is probably the worst offender there - but what else is new.
- unstabilo 13y agoWhy only mobile platforms? This should be in desktop OS-es too.
- marvy 13y agoIn principle, yes. In practice, backwards compatibility makes this hard.
- wnissen 13y agoYep. I would like to see it written into the rules (Android as well) that any permission that is not the core purpose of the app should be given on a "first touch" basis. Because Words With Friends does not need my GPS location ever.
- shakethemonkey 13y agoApple's approach is still flawed, since if a user ever decides "No", it is next to impossible for mere mortals to figure out how to undo it.