SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
A pretty nice addition to [the third developer preview of the OS formerly known as Android M] is granular control over the permissions [which] each and every app requires upon installing it, giving Android users "meaningful choice of control". Just like in iOS, apps in Android 6.0 Marshmallow will only [allow] you to grant them a certain permission immediately before the app needs it and not in bulk during the installation, [as was the case] in previous Android installments.
[...] Android 6.0 Marshmallow officially introduces API Level 23, which is one of the requirements to have app permissions that can be granted on demand. All Android apps need to be updated [by their developers] so that they support the brand new API0 Level 23 libraries in order to introduce the individual granular app permissions.
SiliconANGLE notes that 6.0 is also getting native fingerprint support, a new power-saving mode, and Android Pay.
They also note
Hardly anyone with an existing Android phone will ever get to use [6.0].
[...] Android-powered devices rely on the manufacturer to update the operating system and the reality is that it rarely happens.
To put it more crudely, the Android update process is f**ked.
[...] [As Android remains open source and free to use,] Google can't force manufacturers to come to the party in terms of upgrades [any] more than it can force manufacturers to stop skinning their Android installs with their own custom user interfaces and software.
Release of Android 6.0 is expected in 2015Q4.
Original Submission
(Score: 3, Informative) by halcyon1234 on Monday August 31 2015, @02:55PM
If you have a rooted phone, you can install XPrivacy. Fine grained control-- every permission on every app. It even does real-time and temporary permissions. Install an app. The first time it opens, you tap "DENY" a few times because that flashlight app really doesn't need your Phone ID, carrier, contacts, listen to the microphone, etc.
It also has the option of feeding fake data instead of blanket denying. App asking for you advertisingID? Here, have a random guid. Re-randomize on reboot, or each time the app asks.
App needs internet access once to do a license check? OK, you have it. App is asking again to connect to "keystrokelogging.app.com" or "stuff-ads-in-your-face.app.com"? De-fucking-nied.
So, will Marshmallow have control that fine-grained? If so, yay. But since it's an OS by a company that makes billions off advertising and private information tracking, I doubt it.
Original Submission [thedailywtf.com]