Skip to main content

Upcoming Android feature may let you deny apps access to personal information

the next version of android may let you block apps from seeing your contacts permissions
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Likely as the result of the well-deserved flack it’s caught over poor app security, Google’s made significant strides towards cutting down on the number of unscrupulous apps inhabiting the Play Store. And perhaps in recognition of the fact that no centralized system is perfect, the company’s planning to put part of curation in the hands of users. According to Bloomberg, a future update — presumably Android M — will give “more detailed choices over what apps can access.”

For the uninitiated, Android uses a permissions-based system to disclose what hardware and software apps are capable of leveraging. Details on the new system are scarce, but it’ll reportedly let users enable and disable access to resources like contacts, location, and sensor readings individually — you’ll be able to let Facebook use your location but not your contacts, for example.

The tool may look a bit familiar when it’s formally revealed. An experimental permissions manager, “Android Ops,” made a brief appearance in Android 4.3 before promptly being withdrawn — Google claimed it was “experimental” and that its inclusion was “a mistake.” Some were skeptical of that explanation at the time, but it’s now looking increasingly plausible.

Beyond more granular controls, Google’s made a number of behind-the-scene improvements to combat malware, adware, and other such nuisances. In 2012, Google acquired malicious software scanner VirusTotal and introduced an app verification feature in Android 4.2. And in March, it improved the Play Store submission process, pairing a human review team with automated programs that scan for malicious code and content violations.

That still hasn’t been enough to stem the tide of nasty adware like Durak, which managed to rack up thousands of downloads before it was removed by Google. Far more destructive apps have emerged in recent months, too. NotCompatible turns devices into hacker-controlled proxies for any number of nefarious purposes. PowerOffHijack is scarier — it can surreptitiously access your phone’s messaging, phone, and camera features even when it appears to be switched off.

Granted, stock Android has a number of built-in protections only circumvented through root, and many of the most destructive programs live within apps distributed outside of the Play Store. But that doesn’t make the rumored permissions manager any less welcome — every additional line of defense, after all, decreases the chances of serious infection.

Google’s set to unveil the new feature at its I/O developer conference on May 28, Bloomberg reports.

Editors' Recommendations

Kyle Wiggers
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kyle Wiggers is a writer, Web designer, and podcaster with an acute interest in all things tech. When not reviewing gadgets…
How to control which apps access your location on iOS and Android

Do you feel comfortable knowing that an invisible force follows you, shadowing your every move all day every day? It sees specific places you go and the duration of your stay. It follows your route around town and then your return back home. How, you ask? Through your smartphone and apps.

The idea that unknown companies can and do constantly track your whereabouts can be unnerving. But you can put a stop to it right now. You can determine what apps are collecting location information and then learn how to use your phone's built-in controls to limit sharing your life with these strangers.

Read more
Google Duo now lets you share your Android screen in video calls
google duo adds four new features for better video calls

Google’s latest update for its internet calling app, Duo, lets you share your phone’s screen in video calls. The feature is only available for Android users for now, and restricted to one-on-one chats. Incidentally, back in 2018, Google had rolled out a similar functionality for Duo but it was mysteriously removed after three months.

https://twitter.com/madebygoogle/status/1305925894326816768

Read more
Google has made its own camera app for the cheapest Android phones you can buy
google android go camera app

There’s no need to worry anymore about slow, unacceptable camera experiences on the cheapest Android phones you can buy. Google has announced Camera Go, its own camera app for the Android Go Edition software, which is used on ultra-low-cost smartphones around the world. The first phone to use Camera Go is the Nokia 1.3, announced alongside the Nokia 8.3 5G on March 19. and it’s a significant step in making it, and phones just like it, way more usable every day.

If you haven’t heard of Android Go Edition, it’s a spin-off version of Android, much like Android One seen on some Motorola and Nokia phones. Except it’s for even more affordable devices, while Android One has graduated to be used on more mid-range hardware. We like Android Go, because it stops cheap Android phones from only running hopelessly out-of-date versions of Android, which makes them slow, unattractive, and potentially less secure.

Read more