Starting May 2021, Google will start limiting Android apps from seeing other installed apps on your device. This is a security measure from Google as it works towards reducing the usage of highly sensitive permissions by developers for malicious purposes.
Beginning May 5, 2021, Google will limit the usage of the "QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" permission from developers in their apps. The limitation was supposed to come into effect earlier in 2021, but Google delayed it until mid-2021 due to COVID-19.
Apps Will No Longer Be Able to See Other Apps Installed on Your Device
On its support page, Google notes that it is limiting the use of "QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" permission for apps that target API 30+ on devices running Android 11. If an app's core functionality depends on the permission, Google mandates that developers declare this using a form in the Play Console.
The company is making this change because it believes that apps installed on your device are personal and sensitive, and other apps should not access this data. The limitation will be applicable for both new and existing apps.
Google is also offering a temporary exception to banking and financial transaction apps like digital wallets so that they may get a "broad visibility" of the apps installed on a device for security reasons.
Selected Apps Can Still See Other Apps Installed on Your Device
Google will remove apps that do not comply with the requirements and whose developers have not submitted the declaration form in the Play Console. For now, it is only allowing device search, antivirus, file managers, and browsers to use the "QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" permission.
Google says that developers will only be allowed to use this permission when their app's "core user-facing functionality or purpose requires broad visibility into installed apps on the user's device." The core functionality described here will be applicable when an app is 'broken' or rendered useless without the "QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" permission.
Google also explicitly highlighted use cases where "QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" permission will not be granted:
- Where use of the permission is not directly related to the core purpose of the app.
- This includes peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing. P2P must be the core purpose of the app in order to qualify as a permitted use.
- When the data is acquired for the purpose of sale.
- When the required task can be done with a less broad app visibility method.
If you value your privacy, you should also stop Google from always listening to you.
Another Privacy-Focused Move From Google
Apple has long prevented iOS apps from seeing other apps installed on an iPhone. Many apps tend to collect this data and then sell it to third-party advertisers or use it for analyzing user behavior.
Thus, this move from Google to limit apps from seeing other apps installed on an Android device is another step to beef up user privacy.
0 Comments