What is Google's deal with Scoped Storage?!

[anon(10181084)]

I know it may sound like I am nitpicking here, but I'm very upset about Scoped Storage. In the 7 years I've been using Android, I've enjoyed the freedom of being able to manually work with files on my device from within any app. If I wanted a locked down storage system, I would've purchased an iPhone and iPad. What is Google's deal?! Unless someone finds a way to downgrade Q-based devices to Pie and/or Oreo, I probably will never upgrade again unless by some miracle I at that time can still find good devices with Pie or Oreo. Is there a way to deal with this and reverse what Google did?

P.S. Sorry if my post sounds all over the place, but I'm having a hard time right now because I'm absolutely LIVID at what Google has done.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

I agree with your frustration. I understand why they want to do this (obvious privacy and security benefits) - but I don't like the way it's been implemented so far.

Like most things, this just requires devs to use tools that have been in place for years for the user to not be adversely effective. The OS version you are using is not going to be the determining factor here though, apps that are not updated by the devs will lose this access entirely due to API library changes when they are forced to adopt the API for Storage Access Framework (SAF) next year when their apps are required to target Android 10. That API has been available to devs since Android 5.0.

One thing to keep in mind, right now it is possible to use adb to enable or disable general storage access for apps on a per app basis, even in the Android Q betas. Whether or not that will make final is still TBD.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Also, the requirement of this implementation is NOT being enforced in Android Q, according to Android Central it's being delayed a year: https://www.androidcentral.com/google-pushes-back-api-enforcement-scoped-storage-android-r

 

[anon(10181084)]

I know. I know. A temporary fix if I ever get a Q device would be to use APK editor to make apps look like legacy apps. Thing is, I probably won't be due for any device upgrades until at least the Android R timeframe. For now I guess I will enjoy Oreo on my devices while I can... This stupidity Google has done literally threw me into a depression spiral.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

This stupidity Google has done literally threw me into a depression spiral.

That's not good... maybe time for some music and mocha, turn off the tech news!

 

[anon(10181084)]

That's not good... maybe time for some music and mocha, turn off the tech news!

Don't worry, just joking LOL.

 

[B. Diddy]

This reminds me a lot of the headaches KitKat caused with SD card access restrictions. That was relaxed for Lollipop and later, so let's hope Google does the same thing here (or figures out a more reasonable way to handle this problem).

 

[anon(10181084)]

This reminds me a lot of the headaches KitKat caused with SD card access restrictions. That was relaxed for Lollipop and later, so let's hope Google does the same thing here (or figures out a more reasonable way to handle this problem).

Oh yeah! Don't even get me started on that... I hope they get rid of Scoped Storage for good at some point. This is like the Android version of Windows Vista's over-agressive UAC. If they integrate an emulator for Q in Android Studio, I'm gonna (however slow it might be on my low end PC) test it out and see how bad it is. Will definitely keep my current Android Oreo devices for many years to come...