[Android] Permissions for MX5


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Hello.

I have just downloaded a new version of MX5 beta for Android. Now I have 5.0.1000 alpha installed.

1st of all, I used QR to download a file. When it was done, I tried to tap it in the notification menu. MX5 crashed. That's OK, it's alpha. I went to download dir, then I see MX5.man there, not .APK. OK... I rename it and launch. And what I see now - tons of new permissions. Don't understand, why MX5 needs calls, SMS, MMS, audio records, all kind of works with contact list and call log, change of my contact data, calendar, events, sending emails to event participants without asking me, setting alarm, adding/deleting account, setting wallpaper, time zone, audio settings, synchronization, show/hide notification menu, battery statistics, links, cache, feeds and so on. I even don't know the meaning of many of those permissions, I have never seen any app to ask it. (I won't make screenshot for it is in Russian language).

Why is it so?

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6 minutes ago, Kreator-2 said:

Hello.

I have just downloaded a new version of MX5 beta for Android. Now I have 5.0.1000 alpha installed.

1st of all, I used QR to download a file. When it was done, I tried to tap it in the notification menu. MX5 crashed. That's OK, it's alpha. I went to download dir, then I see MX5.man there, not .APK. OK... I rename it and launch. And what I see now - tons of new permissions. Don't understand, why MX5 needs calls, SMS, MMS, audio records, all kind of works with contact list and call log, change of my contact data, calendar, events, sending emails to event participants without asking me, setting alarm, adding/deleting account, setting wallpaper, time zone, audio settings, synchronization, show/hide notification menu, battery statistics, links, cache, feeds and so on. I even don't know the meaning of many of those permissions, I have never seen any app to ask it. (I won't make screenshot for it is in Russian language).

Why is it so?

I guess it's because of the sync feature : all devices are supposed to be connected, and that's the exact reason why I won't install it on my phone ( I just need basic browsing, every now and then) 

sync.png

sigmax2.png

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23 minutes ago, -ody- said:

I guess it's because of the sync feature : all devices are supposed to be connected, and that's the exact reason why I won't install it on my phone ( I just need basic browsing, every now and then) 

I understand, that sync needs something... But:

  1. Why so much data is touched? Why calls, SMS and other data, unrelated to browsing, bookmarks, notes...?
  2. Why were these permissions not asked in alpha? Guess, no major features added in beta.

I like syncing bookmarks, history, notes, URLs, screenshots, maybe even passwords (no way for now to switch it off), but that's all I want MX to use. Such wide permissions are fatal when someone gets illegal control.

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4 hours ago, Kreator-2 said:

I understand, that sync needs something... But:

  1. Why so much data is touched? Why calls, SMS and other data, unrelated to browsing, bookmarks, notes...?
  2. Why were these permissions not asked in alpha? Guess, no major features added in beta.

I like syncing bookmarks, history, notes, URLs, screenshots, maybe even passwords (no way for now to switch it off), but that's all I want MX to use. Such wide permissions are fatal when someone gets illegal control.

They can be shut off in pc version which I guess makes switching them off on android irrelevant????

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Hi Kreator-2,

Thanks for posting. I've talked this through with our product team. These permission are used to enable some inbuilt functions in browser. 

Such as the permission to contact list is for MX5's sharing function 

Camare is to scan QR code, SMS is to prepare to receive and auto-fill verificaiton code; etc.

But we are still collecting feedback from Android users, so maybe some changes will happen in near future. :)

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21 existing permissions, and 51 new. Are all of them really needed? Google app has 46 permissions BTW. Google Chrome - 25.

Viber - 45, WhatsApp - 36 -  they are the apps for communication, but they have much less permissions.

I guess, developers just checked all groups of permissions they might need. For example, need to read SMS, but checked all SMS permissions - change SMS, receive MMS, SMS, WAP messages, open SMS... Then we get 6 permissions instead of 1.

 Think about it.

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