Effective from May 5th, Google will restrict apps (on Play Store) that can see all of the other apps you have installed. Unknown to users, apps installed on devices can reveal information such as dating preferences and political affiliations to developers.
Therefore, Google is saying that for an app to have such data it must meet certain requirements as stated in its new policy. An example of such change will be restrictions on apps that request the QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission.
If granted, QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission works with apps targeting API level 30 (Android 11) and above that want to query the list of installed apps on a user’s device that runs Android 11 or later.
Google confirmed, “For apps targeting API level 30 or later, broad visibility to installed apps via the QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission is restricted to specific use cases where awareness of and/or interoperability with any and all apps on the device are required for the app to function”.
It stated that if the developer’s app can operate with a more targeted scoped package visibility declaration it may not use QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES.
Apps can only use the permission of their “core user-facing functionality or purpose, requires broad visibility into installed apps on the user’s device.”
Apps such as browsers, file managers, and antivirus software that need to exchange data in user devices will continue to have permission. For security purpose, financial apps like your Banking software or Digital Wallet apps will require a pass for them to function.
Apps that will be removed from Play Store are those that don’t have a justifiable use case for the permission risk. All developers who want to keep the permission in their apps need to fill a form to justify their use of it.
There won’t be a case for a developer to misuse the permission granted. Google will come down hard on offending apps whether they’re new to the Play Store or just updates to existing apps. It can suspend apps and possibly terminate developer accounts.
