Google manually approves Play Store apps with access to SMS and call history

Google has started manually approving and disapproving Play Store apps that want access to text messages and call history. In principle, only calling and texting apps are now allowed to have these permissions.

Google restricts the use of these permissions because it carries the risk of contact leaks and charges on the user’s phone bill. Google announced the policy in October, and app makers have had time to conform to it until now. According to Ars Technica, Google has now started banning apps that do not follow the rules.

On a help page, Google sets out alternatives for scenarios in which apps need to access the calling or texting functions, whether or not temporarily. For example, for account verification, there’s the SMS retriever api, which also automatically copies and pastes a code, and for sharing, texting, or calling there are three different intents an app can send to the OS. For example, the goals of the app are still achieved without an app having carte blanche to browse through messages and conversations.

Exceptions to calling and texting apps include backup and restore apps, caller ID, spam detection, task automation, wearable or automotive companion apps, and more. Google calls these exceptions ‘temporary’. APIs may also be created for these scenarios in the future. If developers still want to use the permission, they have to fill out a form explaining why their application needs the permission.