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I just got my first Android phone and am having fun trying to figure it out after only using an Iphone for many years.
Maybe the Iphone does this too, but its been a long time since I put a new app on my old Iphone, so I can't remember.
I can understand apps needing your location, but the one thing that I am seeing on many apps is "allows the app to determine the phone number and device IDs, whether a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call" (and these are apps that aren't in any way related to phone calls).
- that sounds like they are tracking my actual calls and who I call from my phone. Obviously not recording my calls, but "determining whether a call is active" - I am not sure exactly how to interpret that.
Can anyone explain this to me? Should I reject apps that request this?
DEVICE ID & CALL INFORMATION (allows the app to determine the phone number and device IDs, whether a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call)
Required to enable the incoming call full-screen picture feature.
DEVICE ID & CALL INFORMATION (allows the app to determine the phone number and device IDs, whether a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call) Required to enable the incoming call full-screen picture feature.
Thanks - for the line I bolded above, does that mean that by giving the app that permission, it means that an incoming call can come in while the app is running?
One of the big reasons these apps need to know when you are on a call is to prevent the app from closing if your phone rings. So when you get off the call you can bounce right back to where you were. This is pretty standard and safe.
Device ID is a way to identify your device if you ever need to reinstall. This is also in apps with ads so they can send you ads. This CAN be a borderline sketchy permission to ask for but not always. Ads aren't always bad. People should get paid to bring you 'free' apps.
Remote Number connected by a call? Hmmm. THAT one sounds VERY sketchy to me unless the app is something like a video calling app that connects two phones. If it's not, or something similar, I would not install that.
Apple has permissions, too, they just don't jump out at you when you install like Android does.
my favorites are things like mixzing music player needs to know your location ?
also i hate that other people with smart fones are sending facebock, twister, goggle plush, linkedun, ... my fone-number, address, birthdate, ... information (you have to allow those apps permission to read your contct list in order to use them).
One of the big reasons these apps need to know when you are on a call is to prevent the app from closing if your phone rings. So when you get off the call you can bounce right back to where you were. This is pretty standard and safe.
Device ID is a way to identify your device if you ever need to reinstall. This is also in apps with ads so they can send you ads. This CAN be a borderline sketchy permission to ask for but not always. Ads aren't always bad. People should get paid to bring you 'free' apps.
Remote Number connected by a call? Hmmm. THAT one sounds VERY sketchy to me unless the app is something like a video calling app that connects two phones. If it's not, or something similar, I would not install that.
Apple has permissions, too, they just don't jump out at you when you install like Android does.
Thanks.
So far, every app that has wanted the Device ID has also wanted the remote number. Its like they are combined into one item on the list, not separate.
So, as an example, the app called Grocery IQ - a shopping list type app - is one that has this listed.
If I reject all apps that have that included, there are a lot of apps I won't be able to use.
The apps I've looked at so far that request this info do not seem sketchy- they all have fairly high ratings and many users. I think Grocery IQ has over 1 million downloads.
It seems that Device_ID and that Remote Number are tied together. You won't see one without the other.
Turns out, yes, ads are the #1 reason. I noticed that to a fault every app that I paid for (ex: PowerAmp Pro and Alarm Clock Pro) OR was free and does not have ads (Library app, NewsOn, Spotify) did not have this permission.
The #2 reason: from what I was able to find last night, on old Android, an app needed a permission so that the OS could pass the number to you of an incoming call while you're in the app. Modern Android handles this itself (through the dialer) and these permissions are not needed. So if the app doesn't have that it will not work on old versions of ANdroid.
My phone has version 4.4.2 - I don't know if that is old or new....
I am not downloading a ton of apps... my plan will be if they having high ratings (such as "editor's pick" or something like that), I will go ahead and use them and not be paranoid.
Thanks again!
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