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What if each <permission> could have a tag android:mandatory="true" for necessary permissions, and for those without the flag, on the install screen, it could a

by sinaa 12y ago

What if each <permission> could have a tag android:mandatory="true" for necessary permissions, and for those without the flag, on the install screen, it could allow the user to switch the permission on/off ? If an app just needs permission to my contacts for its optional import contact feature, it is certainly not mandatory. There could even be an API call to ask the user to reconsider the permission (same as Google maps asking the user to enable location reporting).

ytch 12y ago
Why not use the way this article[1] says? [1] http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-for-ios-permissions/ http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-... Apps can ask for permissions only when it really needs them, and explain why need them.
- MBCook 12y ago
  The iOS system works pretty well, but does have a few downsides. There are apps that spam permissions requests. Let's take some kind of Foursquare thing that needs see your photo library, GPS location, and contacts because of how it works. Poorly written apps will often just spam all three requests when you first open the app instead of asking for your contacts now, your photos when you try to select one, and GPS when you try to tag somewhere. Notifications are also a problem. At this point nearly every single app I download has the first run experience of asking to send me push notification (answer is basically always "No") which is a poor experience and just trains people to smash "yes" or "no". By the way, if you hit the wrong one how do you fix that? I bet 90% of users don't know, and would just delete and reinstall the app. However on iOS apps are NOT allowed to explain WHY they need a permission. The dialog boxes are generated by the system to prevent gaming. Well designed apps will set the user up, showing you a little screen saying "We're about to ask for access to your camera roll so you can select a picture", poorly designed ones just pop-up the dialog. It works fine for me. The only thing I'd like from Apple is an additional permission for non-push notifications. I don't want every app I install to automatically get access to send non-push notifications. I have to go turn that permission off far too much.
  - madeofpalk 12y ago
    iOS apps are starting to realise this and get smart about how they ask for permissions. See http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-for-ios-permissions/ http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-... The common model I'm seeing is the app will ask the user beforehand, giving the proper explanation. If the user agrees, then they are prompted with the OS level permissions dialog.
- sinaa 12y ago
  Cause that can be annoying. What if when installing, you could be presented with all the permissions, and a on/off switch for the optional ones, where you could be even prompted for them later (similar to the article)?
  - TheLoneWolfling 12y ago
    It'd be an improvement. But I suspect too many applications would deliberately be set up to either have no optional permissions or would be set up to pop up a screen saying "please enable permissions" and close if you turned any of them off.

by sinaa 12y ago

ytch 12y ago

Why not use the way this article[1] says? [1] http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-for-ios-permissions/ http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-... Apps can ask for permissions only when it really needs them, and explain why need them.

MBCook 12y ago
The iOS system works pretty well, but does have a few downsides. There are apps that spam permissions requests. Let's take some kind of Foursquare thing that needs see your photo library, GPS location, and contacts because of how it works. Poorly written apps will often just spam all three requests when you first open the app instead of asking for your contacts now, your photos when you try to select one, and GPS when you try to tag somewhere. Notifications are also a problem. At this point nearly every single app I download has the first run experience of asking to send me push notification (answer is basically always "No") which is a poor experience and just trains people to smash "yes" or "no". By the way, if you hit the wrong one how do you fix that? I bet 90% of users don't know, and would just delete and reinstall the app. However on iOS apps are NOT allowed to explain WHY they need a permission. The dialog boxes are generated by the system to prevent gaming. Well designed apps will set the user up, showing you a little screen saying "We're about to ask for access to your camera roll so you can select a picture", poorly designed ones just pop-up the dialog. It works fine for me. The only thing I'd like from Apple is an additional permission for non-push notifications. I don't want every app I install to automatically get access to send non-push notifications. I have to go turn that permission off far too much.
- madeofpalk 12y ago
  iOS apps are starting to realise this and get smart about how they ask for permissions. See http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-for-ios-permissions/ http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/04/the-right-way-to-ask-users-... The common model I'm seeing is the app will ask the user beforehand, giving the proper explanation. If the user agrees, then they are prompted with the OS level permissions dialog.
sinaa 12y ago
Cause that can be annoying. What if when installing, you could be presented with all the permissions, and a on/off switch for the optional ones, where you could be even prompted for them later (similar to the article)?
- TheLoneWolfling 12y ago
  It'd be an improvement. But I suspect too many applications would deliberately be set up to either have no optional permissions or would be set up to pop up a screen saying "please enable permissions" and close if you turned any of them off.