Google Play Services enabled the inclusion of one of the best privacy features in Android 11 to all Android phones that the company supports. Every phone that runs Android 6 or later, will soon be able to automatically revoke permissions if the app hasn't been used in a while. Android 6 is the minimum version that can support the most recent adaptation of Google Play Services. It is also very old. You'll find newer software on all the great Android phones that you can purchase in 2021. This is a more crucial move for privacy than you might think. Charmaine D’Silva, product manager at Google, spoke in depth about the feature's newness during an interview. This is why it's so important. Charmaine D'Silva explained that there are many occasions we interact with apps and use them. It's important at the right moment. We can move on from this situation and the app might not be something that you use every day, so we still use the same thinking process for permission revocation. Let's say you travel to a new place and need an app to ride-share or access local attractions. People don't usually delete apps after they leave if they have lots of storage. This app might still have access the permissions that you granted. If you don't use the app, however, this shouldn't be an issue.
Source: Android Central
In our interview, she used a hypothetical scenario that many of us could relate too: Imagine you're traveling to work in a new place and use a local delivery service to order food while you work. After you have finished your meal, you go home and delete the app. It shouldn't be okay for the app to remain alive in the background, checking your location, and monitoring how long you have been using it. This is because the app doesn't provide any benefit. A non-essential app shouldn't collect your data. All permissions granted to an app are automatically revoked starting with Android 11. A notification is sent to you so that you can prevent it from happening again. Other than that, you don't need to do anything. As a result, your data is safer. This is what really shows the power and dedication of Google Play Services. While I do not like the idea that Google Play Services could be expanded, I can see why it has evolved so much. I wish there were alternatives to Google's method. Many of us want our phones safe and to do cool things. It is clear that users want to know that their phones are more secure and that their data is protected against third parties. Google has this ability. Play Services can be as powerful or weaker depending on the control that the company who made the phone has over it. Google allows exceptions for device admin applications that are not available on company-supplied phones, but otherwise, all is fair and Play Services has final say.
