Android: Google limits application access to SMS and calls

In the coming weeks, Google plans to remove applications from its Play Store, which provide access to text messages and call logs of users without good reason. Application developers were invited in October 2018 to meet the deadline of January 9 (90 days) to remove the permissions in question or to request valid reasons for authorization, says "ZDNet".

"We take very seriously access to sensitive data and permissions," writes Paul Bankhead, director of product management at Google, on the Android Developers blog. This is especially true for SMS and call log permissions that allow users to select their preferred dialer or email application. Apparently, permissions have also been obtained for many other purposes that do not require the same level of access as the blog.

Google's new strategy aims to ensure that applications requesting these permissions require full and continuous access to sensitive data to meet the main purpose of the application, and that users understand why this data is needed to its exploitation.

Tens of thousands of developers have requested their applications via the form or by submitting them again according to the blog entry. Apparently, this already shows that many applications previously tested with these permissions can fulfill their role even with more limited access. For example, developers using SMS for account verification could also use automatic SMS verification via SMS Retriever API.