Reply to post: This is nearly useless

This is nearly useless

Sure, when a kitchen timer app wants every existing permission under the sun, that is something that can and should be fixed (or, you know, just don't install it). Unfortunately, the vast majority of apps DOES actually have a justifiable reason to ask for the exact same everything: the modern tendency is to integrate everything with everything else and yes guess what that requires being able to access everything your phone is capable of storing. Do I agree with that trend or want most of that integration - hell no, but it's not like anybody asks me. But the fact is that most of the (mostly likely legit) apps I've seen do _something_ user-facing with the data they ask access to, therefore can easily "justify" asking for it.

The exceptions are there to prove the rule: for instance, the barcode scanner QR Droid has a separate version called QR Droid Private, with less functions but also less permissions to ask - on the other hand, the "less private" main version comes with extra features that can justify all it asks for, whether or not I want any of it. In this case at least I get to make some sort of choice - but that is literally the only app I've seen offering such a thing. Everybody else just goes "we want to make our app more convenient for you (that's non-negotiable) and guess what letting us offer you things from within the app _requires_ that you let us actually access those things".

It's an unavoidable imperative even - all apps are looking for some added feature to differentiate them and as soon as one app is seen letting you pick a message or contact or picture to do something with, every single competing app needs to follow suit or get left behind. Developing an alternate, "private" version is simply beyond the effort most app writers are willing or able to expend - and the market validates them. Because as long as only grumpy luddites like us care - really care, to the point of actually refusing to use - about such things, everybody else will just go for the "more shiny", and "hey what's the harm after all"...