App can make phone calls without your knowledge!

thegoodman

Lifeforms wrote: »

It's a free market, means regular joe can go make an funny app without having to pay a penny to make an app (aka apple and your "fee" to even create/submit the app.

So... a) the market isn't policed (because no one really pays for that, unlike apple). b) anyone can make an app, malicious or not, broke or not. c) people are idiots, and are quite happy to let anything download, and use their phone.

People in the know or actually pay attention to things (terms and conditions people!) will see that apps want permissions to do stuff it frankly doesn't need to do. Doesn't mean if it wants access to make calls, that it'll do it, but you only have yourself to blame if it does at some random moment dial out without you knowing it, and you suddenly get a several hundred pound bill. HOW?!
This takes you back to point C. People are idiots, and just want to do things, without caring about who's what's, whyfor's and "oh it's ok, sure you can use my phone to call anyone, you're only a stranger I've just met!"

You are wrong
The google charge 30% same as iPhone.

http://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=112622

Only reason Google is not too worried to remove the app is so it can make money from the advertisers.

mobilejunkie

If it's a free app there is no fee.

Phantom_Flan_Flinger

The Accuweather app came pre-installed on my SII. It has never made chargeable calls or texts in the year I've had the phone.

grumbler

Phantom_Flan_Flinger wrote: »

The Accuweather app came pre-installed on my SII. It has never made chargeable calls or texts in the year I've had the phone.

However, the question remains. Why on earth does this weather app need these permissions?!

This application has access to the following:

Services that cost you money

• send SMS messages
  Allows the app to send SMS messages. Malicious apps may cost you money by sending messages without your confirmation.
• directly call phone numbers
  Allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention. Malicious apps may cause unexpected calls on your phone bill.

DUTR

Phantom_Flan_Flinger wrote: »

The Accuweather app came pre-installed on my SII. It has never made chargeable calls or texts in the year I've had the phone.

You can't post that, it does not fit in with the Samsung/Android hater's claims :rotfl:

For the record neither has my accu weather or any other app I have installed for that matter.

Crabman

DUTR wrote: »

You can't post that, it does not fit in with the Samsung/Android hater's claims :rotfl:

For the record neither has my accu weather or any other app I have installed for that matter.

But if it did, you'd happily pay your large bill at the end of the month without complaining?

DUTR

Crabman wrote: »

But if it did, you'd happily pay your large bill at the end of the month without complaining?

It won't though! Already explained the ambiguity in the permissions, indeed it is not impossible on any platform. If one gets their apps from bonified sources they wil be safe :beer:

thegoodman

That's the problem. I am sure mst apps are ok, you only need to install one wrong app and you may end up paying many pounds in text messages.
Same Android uers will start to complaint about how the network is not giving them refund etc. rather then pay the bill.

DUTR

thegoodman wrote: »

That's the problem. I am sure mst apps are ok, you only need to install one wrong app and you may end up paying many pounds in text messages.
Same Android uers will start to complaint about how the network is not giving them refund etc. rather then pay the bill.

You know most apps are ok though, I'm not sure why you don't just remain smug with your device and stop worrying for other people, it's not as if your chosen product has not been 'charged' with abusing data from installed apps is it? NONE of the platforms are infalliable :eek:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2101934/Apple-moves-stop-Facebook-Twitter-accessing-iPhone-users-address-books-permission.html

Now Twitter admits 'harvesting' users' phone contacts without telling the owners as Apple announces crackdown

• Highly private contact information is taken from smartphones and sent to remote computer
• Users puzzled over why app retains contacts for 18 months
• Twitter engulfed with comments from fearful users
• Apple says it will stop apps taking data without users' consent

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2101934/Apple-moves-stop-Facebook-Twitter-accessing-iPhone-users-address-books-permission.html#ixzz1wU8HO5n5

thegoodman

DUTR wrote: »

It won't though! Already explained the ambiguity in the permissions, indeed it is not impossible on any platform. If one gets their apps from bonified sources they wil be safe :beer:

Come on. The Android is a mobile phone not some kind of geek device.
You can't expect users to know about app rights, which one are bonified sources, what apps on Google Play are safe and which one are not. Most mobile phones are used by children, people who do not have a lot inside knowledge of way Android work and many old people. Most people want to use the phone and Internet not try to learn the os or programming.

It seem the Google is happy to take money from people Who are not geek.