[citation][nom]Logikal1[/nom]I can't believe how many people are willing to sacrifice their security & privacy for the sake of having a new toy. Don't they pay attention to those TOS one must agree to before they can load a new game or app? EVERY app seems to make you agree to let it have 100% access to settings, records. files. passwords etc. I will NOT use my android for anything other than gaming until there is far better security than what there isn't now. As for the rest of the sheep who're busy giving away all their financial data et all, they're getting what they deserve.[/citation]
Minecraft PE Android app permissions: Write to USB storage (saving game data needs this). Network access (multiplayer and updating features need this). Control vibration (vibrate on certain actions such as breaking a block, getting hit, etc.). Test access to protected storage (test for a type of USB storage not yet used in Android, may be used for a modding feature or sharing game data with other people and such things).
No unnecessary access to settings, records, files, passwords, etc.
Colornote (a notepad program) app permissions:same as above, but it also can run at system startup and can prevent the device from sleeping when in use.
No unnecessary access to settings, records, files, passwords, etc.
I could go on, but I think that my point is made. Any app requesting permission that it doesn't need for the job that you want to do is probably not an app that you should have unless there are no alternatives (not very common). Furthermore, iOS and other platforms aren't any better about this at all.
Also, since apps have to ask YOU to get permission for such things, I'd say that security is quite good since you are in control of what you allow your apps to do. If you find an app to be suspect due to requesting unnecessary permissions, then simply don't download that app. Anyone giving away their info and whatnot by not looking at the permissions of an app before downloading may deserve what they get, but that sort of situation is easily avoidable in the context of Android app permissions. Do iOS and other mobile OS competitors even tell you what their apps have permission to do?