On: Show HN: My first Android app - Hacker News reader

[BrokenPipe]

Why does it need permission to read my identify? Sorry, uninstalled.

[stavros → BrokenPipe]

I've been wondering about this. What exactly does the "READ PHONE STATUS AND IDENTITY" permission entail, and why do developers need it?

What exactly am I giving them access to when I allow it?

[BrokenPipe → stavros]

Apparently read your IMEI and other identifying information, which then can be sent anywhere without further permission (assuming it has network access as this app has)

[mikeevans → BrokenPipe]

Do you mean Read phone state or Access network state? Those are for the Ads and Analytics.

[BrokenPipe → mikeevans]

It requires two permissions:

-Phone calls Read phone status and identity

-Network communication Full network access

I can understand the latter, in particular if in android you can't specify exactly what hosts you need to access but the former I can't understand, or better, I can't stand. I do not want to give every app my identity, not for ads, not for money.

[richardwhiuk → mikeevans]

You shouldn't need phone state to identify a device - see http://android-developers.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/identifying...