Cellphone application permissions

[mtbc]

Many of the permissions (… needs access to …) that I must approve to install cellphone applications look rather more to me like nice to haves or even not obviously relevant at all rather than being necessary for the desired function. I am reminded of how installing some packages on Linux systems can appear to bring the whole kitchen sink along, partly because binary packages are rarely offered in enough flavors even though their build options may include more flexibility. I know little of the API offered by Android and its ilk but I wonder if it simply doesn't offer provision for conditional access: to let the user select if the application has access to something, like their location, and for the code to branch accordingly at runtime. If not, that's a sad omission. For example, my cellphone's Device Help application can do everything from pairing with Bluetooth devices and making telephone calls to wiping the SD card; I don't think I will ever wish it to do any such thing.

Comments

[emperor]

Yeah, the permissions model is terrible; AIUI cyanogenmod makes it easier to have finer-grain control of this (including denying apps permissions they say they need).

[damerell]

Still more usefully (as you may know), lying to applications about the permissions they have.

[mtbc]

Thank you, I hadn't known.