What does the permission Voice Recorder asks for, allows it to do?

[pullpanelinoneswipe]

Galaxy A8 user here. There's a preinstalled app from Samsung called Voice Recorder. When I tap its icon there's a little alert box popping up and asking for permission to record audio. Without allowing it I cannot use the app. All the previous smartphones I've owned never asked me such a thing for a voice recording app, they just up and worked when I needed them to. My question is privacy based. Does this permission it asks for, gives it a right to only record when I turn it on or otherwise, to spy on my conversations, send them to a server, match them against a database and serve me more relevant ads? Viber already does this so I'm interested whether this is the case too.

 

[hallux]

In order for the voice recorder to record audio it needs access to the microphone so it would make sense that it asks for this permission. What else it does with this permission is hidden in the code for the app, only the developer will know.

 

[B. Diddy]

What Android versions were your previous phones running? Starting with Marshmallow, permissions became more granular, so apps would have to ask for specific permission the first time they needed them.

 

[pullpanelinoneswipe]

Is that why when I download a new application from Play store, it doesn't ask any permissions right away before downloading, but when the app is actually opened/used?
I used a fairly old device, I think it used Kitkat or Jelly Bean.

 

[B. Diddy]

You're exactly right! You can always review which permissions an app will ask for in the Play Store app page, and you can always deny a permission when it gets requested. Of course, depending on the permission, that might significantly interfere with the app's function.

 

[hallux]

You can also go into the app manager on your device and revoke permissions if you decide you don't like what it's doing.

I use a poorly-coded app for ordering from a particular establishment, it uses GPS to find the nearest location but it has a hard time releasing the GPS usage when I exit the app. My solution is to disable the GPS permission for that app when I'm not using it, next time I open the app it prompts me to enable the permission.

 

[B. Diddy]

I use a poorly-coded app for ordering from a particular establishment, it uses GPS to find the nearest location but it has a hard time releasing the GPS usage when I exit the app. My solution is to disable the GPS permission for that app when I'm not using it, next time I open the app it prompts me to enable the permission.

You wouldn't be talking about Starbucks, would you? Their Find a Location feature is annoying -- I think if you agree to let it use Location, it'll automatically turn on Wi-fi and Bluetooth Scanning as well to improve location accuracy.

 

[hallux]

@B. Diddy Nope, Jersey Mike's...

 

[pullpanelinoneswipe]

So unless it prompts me for a new permission it won't, let's say upload my photos or copy my contacts?

 

[B. Diddy]

Right. If it doesn't have permission for either of those, it can't access them.

 

[anon(10777631)]

Tell me please. why does the recorder not ask for permission to the microphone,but can record audio ?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I see you already cancelled your membership here.:-\ It's not clear if you're saying that the recording app doesn't have permission to access the microphone but still records, or if you're saying that you don't recall granting it permission, and found that it already had permission.

 

[mustang7757]

The permission is only when using the app or app not in use it will not grant.
Andriod permission has changed since Andriod 10 and up.

 

[B. Diddy]

Ok, but you haven't clarified your question in terms of what I asked -- can you read over what I asked and give more detail?

 

[mustang7757]

Hello i got out by mistake. I have a factory voice recorder application, and it doesn't ask for microphone permission,
but i can record audio. Why can it work like this ?

We still dont know what device or Android version your on to answer your question.

 

[mustang7757]

Yes
the recording app does not have permission to access the microphone but is still recording
I have android 7

It probably could , Android 7 was different back then.