One reason for tons of android permissions in simple apps.

I recently installed an app that asked for like 12 permissions. The app obviously needed 2 of them. No more.
I was also right next to the guy that made the app and asked him, wtf?!
The answer:
"We based out app on some other one that needs all that and even though we use just a couple of it's features we can't be bothered to remove the others from the code."

Fuck this guy. Or whoever ordered him to do that.

I always check what perms does app need. If it asks for a single one that it should not need I go looking for alternatives and "blacklist" that app. Not bothering with permisions is one way to lose potential customers. Although I wonder, how many actually check what permissions does an app request...

How can he need all that, if it isn't needed?

Also sometimes there are those rights you need for something you wouldn't expect it for. Like location access to be able to use Bluetooth LE.

@Ghosty same. That's why it bothered me.
Sadly that was an app needed to work with a gadget. There is no alternative to make the gadget work as intended.

@PRein sniff the protocol​s, make your own app. 😈

hmmmm maybe android needs to list permissions that come from other apps the app depends on...

i've personally only used zxing in this way...

But reusing existing apps is smart.. why reinvent the wheel and bloat the phone with heavy apps that have to know how to do everything when you don't have to?

Usually libraries take room for permissions.

I get your pain as a user, personally I'm the same.

As a developer though, there are times you have the dilemma

The one I usually struggle with is phone number verification. I could make the process very seemless, autofill the number and let the user edit and press "send verif code", then read sms coming in and automatically use the verification code.
Now from the UX side, that is very easy/enjoyable. But from privacy concerns, I get access to phone details, and all sms services (read any other sms coming in ...) . This leaves me wondering, is the smooth UX worth it or not ...

Obvisouly this is a very small part of any app, but requires 2-3 wide reaching permissions ...

yup its because of devs/stakeholders like these - i have stopped installing apps that need access to my contacts, location, media files and on and on. So no FB, twitter or other social media apps for me on my phone. Other than google maps, text and email (via orfox browser) I do not use my phone for anything else, I just use my desktop/laptop when I need to access any of those apps.

@rusty-hacker The user can remove those permissions later and it won't affect the app. Honestly, no one ever posted a bad review, due to permissions in any of my apps, thus I am not bothered by it at all.

IMO, there should be a way to get temp permission, like just for an hour and then it'll be revoked.

Try LineageOS (CyanogenMod). I am able to give the apps temp permission (grant it the permission everytime it asks for it) or enable/disable it forever. There is also Xprivacy for rooted phones if you do not want to flash your ROM.

But with Android you can now only give apps certain permissions so is it really that big of a deal now a days?

@sudoguy I think you can modify app permissions (among other things) with Lucky Patcher as well

@rewert Yeah I see the option there. Didn't know about that, thanks for info.

@maltedMilk swipe is a nice alternative