Google's pursuit to "protect privacy" and lockdown on spy apps etc is making it become more and more like iOS (which is why I originally stopped using iOS). It may be a noble reason (and the same one politicians give for rolling out surveillance cameras and blocking of websites - to protect from child trafficking, terrorism and child porn) but it cuts down on freedom of choice of ordinary citizens.
So my app that backs up all my SMS text messages to my GMail account will soon break (was very handy for searching for a text message, retaining messages when switching phones or losing your phone), my call recorder is also now broken as it cannot record calls with Android Q (so I missed all the feedback the doctor phoned me about for a family member as I did not have a pen and paper with me and was relying on being able to play it back later, and I caught out a lying telesales rep last year by showing 5 non-truths he gave me and was able to have the contract cancelled).
Why can't I have the choice to back up my own text messages, why can't I record my calls to ensure I get the details right, why can't my other background apps keep working (like AirBattery that pops up and shows my earphone battery levels when I open the case)?
If Google is going to also start treating us like kids with no option to opt out then I will pretty soon be ready to move on from Android too... or at least to install LinageOS on my Pixel 2 XL if that will still give me those options. Some of us like to live on the wild side or trample off the path a bit. Tempting thing about LineageOS is it usually has a few extra bells and whistles, and it keeps delivering bleeding edge updates long after Google and other OEMs have stopped providing updates for older phones. I can see I'm talking myself into this...
#google #android
#^Gmail’s API lockdown will kill some third-party app access, starting July 15
Google emails users: "the following apps may no longer be able to access your data."
source https://gadgeteer.co.za/node/3311
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