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Many, many apps seem to need the 'send MMS' permission, even though there is no clear reason why, including but not limited to the Stack exchange app. Why?

Device: Bush SPIRA B3 5 running ArchOS (Official ROM where the permissions manager.... Works really well, for once) on android 6.0. No system updates available AFAIK. The device is encrypted (I was not allowed to have it unencrypted, for security reasons.)

Seller: Argos UK

screenshot

Screenshot provided by concerned friend. I agree with him though

Edit: I have read the possible dupe here and although it covers it quite well, so I shall be more specific: Why does the stack exchange app need send MMS/email the, permissions?

This question is also in meta Why does the Stack Exchange app need permission to send MMS?

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  • Possible duplicate of Why does every app has/needs the permission "Send MMS" and "Send Email"? – beeshyams Sep 07 '16 at 17:25
  • @beeshyams alright, possibly. It still does not explain why these two always seem enabled together, or why Stack exchange (for example) needs it, though I'll take that one to meta. – Dan Brown Sep 07 '16 at 17:32
  • Dan , if that is your specific question, you could edit your question to include a reference to the dupe and ask, IMO – beeshyams Sep 07 '16 at 17:35
  • Only reason that makes sense is for SHARING. Without the permission you can't share within the app natively, but you could with a 3rd party app. So the permission, somewhere, needs to be enabled. If the permission in question is still a concern, disable the permission across the board. Allow a 3rd party app, that you trust, be your SHARE app and you should be good. – HasH_BrowN Sep 07 '16 at 18:26
  • From my experience, I strongly suspect that's because of some "low granularity" in the quite imperfect permission system, that something only vaguely related to SMS/MMS is covered by the same permission. Especially with that "fake control" introduced with MM, things are really a mess (as they don't even give you real control, one entry covers too many things you'd rather need separate). – Izzy Sep 07 '16 at 20:46
  • Retracted close vote after reading valid comment of @izzy – beeshyams Sep 08 '16 at 05:10
  • @Izzy true, but ArchOS devices (Argos' ROM, v. Close to stock) use a heavily modified permission management. If you don't want an app to use your GPS, it ain't using its GPS. Why I brought an ArchOS/Bush device in the first place. – Dan Brown Sep 08 '16 at 06:36
  • @DanBrown that's a different thing. Same is true for rooted devices using a real permission manager (e.g. Xprivacy; but I can see what you're referring to). Which I btw. consulted concerning the SE app, and couldn't find access to SMS/MMS. Just in the very same section, there's some sub-permission to get provider configuration values which seems to be in use. Not being too familiar with what's covered by it, I cannot tell more. // May I suggest to add those Archos details to your question directly? Important deail IMHO. – Izzy Sep 08 '16 at 06:43
  • @Izzy Will do, shortly. Funnily enough, somebody brought up a similar point on the meta. – Dan Brown Sep 08 '16 at 06:45
  • OK. So I found something odd: in permissions manager, the app requests MMS and email. In the app manager, it requests the more logical Contacts and Storage. The two do correlate- if I disable MMS, stack exchange cannot access my storage (likewise with email and contacts) Shadow Wizard on the meta is correct - it's a ROM bug, albeit a small one that is just a typo. – Dan Brown Sep 08 '16 at 13:35

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