MNC and MCC access: why needed?

[p301R2]

Hi everybody,

I am using XPrivacy from the XPosed framework to control which data apps are allowed to access. VLC for Android asks for quite some permissions; among these there are mobile country code (MCC) and mobile network code (MNC). Can somebody please explain to me why this is necessary for the function of VLC for Android?

Thanks!

[edwardw]

In Android "read phone status and identity" comes as one permission which includes both incoming call notification and phone identity and cannot be split. We need this permission in order to pause music during incoming calls.

[p301R2]

We need this permission in order to pause music during incoming calls.

I'm ok with that. (Bugger, Android's security/privacy policy is a real mess. )

In Android "read phone status and identity" comes as one permission which includes both incoming call notification and phone identity and cannot be split.

Could you specify what are the exact permissions needed for pausing the playback?

Are you familiar with XPrivacy (within the XPosed framework)? I'm looking into the permissions of apps using XPrivacy, blocking/randomising stuff which I believe are not needed for the functionality of an app. Interestingly, MCC and MNC are accessed by VLC, on startup. Other permissions in the 'Phone' group are not. I guess android.intent.action.PHONE_STATE would be the thing to allow, as apparently VLC gets the info of an incoming call here. FYI, VLC still works as intended when I restrict access to MCC and MNC.

[edwardw]

We ask for android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE.

[fende23]

you can use: AudioManager.OnAudioFocusChangeListener

So you avoid asking permission READ_PHONE_STATE
And you can stop the music also when the alarm clock rings

you can have a look at:
https://android.googlesource.com/platfo ... elper.java
https://android.googlesource.com/platfo ... sicPlayer/

[edwardw]

That is API 8 and later only; we support 7+.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Yep.