Automagic to remove SMS and Call log features in update

[xpdev]

every year and every new version of google brings scattered limitations here and there.

If there is no way to use or exploit in full app like Automagic, there is no reason to be on a system like google, it would be a clone of Apple, where you can not do anything without the JB.

For me it's really stupid from Google.

[moonspeak]

I'll submit the form again but I will wait until another automation app get's the permission. Maybe not all of the Google Play review team are aware of the new exception until next week.
Sad that they explicitly added an exception for task automation. I think there are many more applications that use the permissions for legitimate uses that the user is perfectly aware of. Maybe Google should improve the permission features in the OS instead of enforcing such things for apps distributed on Google Play only.

Totally agree with this. What they're doing is slapping a band-aid over a problem and hoping it holds together.

When you think about it, why do call/SMS log permissions get this treatment, but things like notification permission don't? Presumably, all your calls and SMS appear in notifications anyway, so anything that is granted that permission can keep its own log and basically have the exact same data. Apparently they feel the dedicated page for notification access with warnings is sufficient, so why not just do the same thing for SMS and call logs if they really feel users need to be protected from it?

There is also the simple option of putting a nice red warning symbol on the permission request dialog along with maybe some formatting, bolding, and possibly short bullet points that clearly show the user what they are granting access to. Couple that with a 5 or 10 second timer on the 'allow' button and I'm sure no one will be tapping without noticing what they're granting.

I have to assume the reason is a lack of communication and joint efforts between the Google teams in charge of different apps. Judging by how disjointed and inconsistent the UI and designs always are across all of Google's apps and services, I bet the Google Play Store team is totally disconnected from the AOSP team and so they're just coming up with the solution that they themselves can enforce, without thinking about how the apparent issue can be solved at the OS level.

[Christofer]

Any more news regarding Automagic getting approved or not?

[Martin]

I did not hear anything from Google and did not hear about any app getting the approval so far. I will wait a few more days until I submit the permission request form one more time.
I'll let you know as soon as I have more information.

Regards,
Martin

[Martin]

I've just resubmitted the permission request form today. The form was updated quite a lot and now contains task automation as a valid exception for some of the permissions Automagic uses.
I'm curious to see what happens. I still did not hear about any app getting the approval so I'm not very positive yet...

[Martin]

I've just got the response that Automagic does not qualify to get an exception. The reply looks like a standard email template so I do not expect that a human being actually reviewed my request.

It sounds like the main problem is that Automagic allows to "Initiate a phone call" and "Initiate a text message". The other uses for the SMS and call log permissions would probably be OK which means that I will only have to remove actions Call Number and Send SMS.
I've now asked the Google Play Support Team to clarify if this is the case or if it's somehow possible for a task automation app to get an exception to initiate a phone call and to send an SMS. It's strange that the permission declaration form seems to allow permission 'SEND_SMS' for task automation apps but yet they still don't allow the app to "initiate a text message".

[Desmanto]

It is very sad to hear this It seems you are not alone, a lot of other devs also got the similar reply or very non-human answer.
How about tasker? Does it get the similar email too?

I wish we can do something more, other than whining at the issue tracker thread.

[tphg]

Sad hearing the action Send SMS may no longer be allowed in the app.
I'm following this thread since the first time as I'm also using the action Send SMS for my flow.
I have a standby pre-paid SIM card which needs to make at least a phone call or send an SMS every month for extending its validation period.
So I made a flow to automatically send an SMS every month to a designated phone number, and I need the action Send SMS.

[Martin]

Unfortunately I did not hear anything from Google yet. In the meantime I've submitted the permission declaration form again but this time in a slightly different way since the form is not quite clear about some of the questions. Maybe I have more luck this time...
Whatever happens I will make sure that there is a good workaround to keep the features. It will likely require to install a small helper app outside of Google Play in case Google does not accept my request for the permissions.

[Desmanto]

Hi Martin,

Joao just announced that tasker has been approved for the call/sms permission usage.
https://www.reddit.com/r/tasker/comment ... s_success/

At least we have example of real app being approved from the task automation category.
Maybe you can peg Automagic to the same thing, since Automagic basically can do what tasker can do.

I still hope for the best, so the call/sms permission kept intact, not being separated from main app.