Android users

natley

I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S4 on Friday from Blackberry and whilst the phone is stunning and some of the features are fun, I can't understand and don't like the fact that most apps wish to access my personal data or take photos and recordings whenever they like :eek:
Why? Do the apps that are available for apple do the same?
Is there anyway (aside from not installing the apps) that I can block information being passed on?

penrhyn

What are the apps of which you speak, my copy of Angry Birds as not taken my photo, neither has Sky News?

JJ_Egan

natley wrote: »

I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S4 on Friday from Blackberry and whilst the phone is stunning and some of the features are fun, I can't understand and don't like the fact that most apps wish to access my personal data or take photos and recordings whenever they like :eek:
Why? Do the apps that are available for apple do the same?
Is there anyway (aside from not installing the apps) that I can block information being passed on?

Apple apps do the same but its hidden .
If you click on each topic in the app description it gives a breakdown of the actual meaning .

A firewall will block internet per app something like Avast AV.
If you don't want a video player to access your sd card then its not going to play anything .

Here is a better explanation for one app from Play that i used yesterday to point out a better understanding of permissions for the app Tango .
A good example here ..

Overview

Before installing Tango on your Android device, you will be prompted to accept permissions from Tango. These permission display which resources Tango will have access to on your device. Please review each permission so you are fully aware of how Tango works on your phone.

We take your privacy very seriously, if you would like additional information, you can read our Privacy Policy.
Explanation

Your messages:

- Allows Tango to receive and process verification SMS messages. This is only used for verification of new devices.

System Tools:

- Allows Tango to prevent your phone from going to sleep during calls.

- Allows Tango to wake your device when receiving an incoming call.

- Allows Tango to connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi access points.

Hardware controls:

- Allows Tango to utilize the vibration alert on your device

- Allows Tango access to the camera.

- Allows Tango access to control audio levels on your device.

- Allows Tango access to the microphone.

Your accounts:

- Allows Tango users to send email invitations.

- Integrates Tango into your address-book.

Your personal information:

- Allows access to log files. (we use this for troubleshooting purposes only)

- Allows access to your contact list.

- Allows Tango to modify your Tango address book.

Note: Tango does not have access to modify your device's native address-book.

Phone calls:

- Let's Tango know if a user is in a middle of a call or receiving a call.

- Alerts the user if there is an incoming call during a Tango call.

Network communications:

- Let's Tango know how you are connected to the internet (3G/4G or Wi-Fi).

Storage:

Used for debugging and troubleshooting and storing content such as Tango Surprises.

natley

penrhyn wrote: »

What are the apps of which you speak, my copy of Angry Birds as not taken my photo, neither has Sky News?

Avast mobile security it's wanting permission for

Edit, read, receive, send text messages, modify or delete contents of usb storage, directly call phoe numbers, read phone status and identity, reroute outgoing calls, modify contacts, read call log, read your contacts, write call log.

To me that information is personal and facebook as too many to even type!

ChiefGrasscutter

So its not 'most apps'.
It's a security app - and that can only work if, yes, it has access to virtually everything on the phone - no surprise there.

Why does it need the ability to take a photo etc - presumably because it has got some facility in it that if your phone is stolen you can log into the AV website and take control of the phone, block calls, read call logs, divert calls whatever and take a photo of the thief using it.....which is why it needs permission to do this sort of thing.

natley

I've only had the phone for 2 days and it's my first android so I have only installed a few apps. i just fail to see why so many apps need access to 1 or various parts of the phone hence why I am enquiring if apple do the same because if not then I will sell the S4 and purchase the iphone

JJ_Egan

natley wrote: »

I've only had the phone for 2 days and it's my first android so I have only installed a few apps. i just fail to see why so many apps need access to 1 or various parts of the phone hence why I am enquiring if apple do the same because if not then I will sell the S4 and purchase the iphone

As said Apple do the same but don't tell you .
SGS4 is in short supply sell it don't buy an Android phone or tablet .No other answer if you are not happy with permissions or do not understand them .Their is no way around that if using Play store though you can use other sources for apps that probably keep all the permisions hidden .

jje

Mondez

There is a framework patch called OpenPDroid IIRC, that can patch some custom firmwares to provide control over what permissions you actually allow an app to have. Of course this means you need to root your phone and find a custom firmware that supported OpenPDroid. Google won't ever put such functionality into android proper since it makes it much harder to mine data and make money off of users if they can limit what info you can mine.

aliasojo

ChiefGrasscutter wrote: »

So its not 'most apps'.
It's a security app - and that can only work if, yes, it has access to virtually everything on the phone - no surprise there.

Why does it need the ability to take a photo etc - presumably because it has got some facility in it that if your phone is stolen you can log into the AV website and take control of the phone, block calls, read call logs, divert calls whatever and take a photo of the thief using it.....which is why it needs permission to do this sort of thing.

Actually, it is most apps. (Apart from the photo thing, not seen that yet).

I'm seriously thinking about rooting my Nexus so I can disable these permissions. It annoys the heck out of me that all these apps require carte blanche 'control' over my machine.

Why on earth does a game of chequers need to know about my contacts? It doesn't.

Mikebellows

natley wrote: »

I've only had the phone for 2 days and it's my first android so I have only installed a few apps. i just fail to see why so many apps need access to 1 or various parts of the phone hence why I am enquiring if apple do the same because if not then I will sell the S4 and purchase the iphone

You are not going to gain anything by purchasing the iphone.
As previously stated the apps on the iphone do exactly the same, but you are not told about it.

Is it better to know or not know?

neilwoods

Simple answer is go back to blackberry