Why do Parse Push Notification still need "Get_Account" permission to work?

[Kuoyhout]

GCM is no longer require "android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" to work, but why parse still need that permission.

[wangmengyan95]

Hi @Kuoyhout , you are correct. GET_ACCOUNTS was required only for 4.0.3 and below. We will change the way we check the permission for push. Thanks for open this issue.

[grantland]

To clarify, the method we use to register and utilize GCM is using Google's old documented method that doesn't require Google Play Services and requires GET_ACCOUNTS on 4.0.3 and below.

We require it in the manifest since there's no real way to programmatically check minSdkVersion and it would be confusing if developers supported 4.0.3 or below and only tested their apps on 4.0.4+, but never tested on on 4.0.3 and below.

There doesn't seem to be a good way to guarantee having GET_ACCOUNTS without strictly requiring it, so we'll be leaving it for now unless someone has a suggestion that prevents applications from missing it when required.

[Kuoyhout]

@grantland So if my app only supported 4.0.4+, and I don't add this permission to my manifest, and in Android Marshmallow (6.0) I don't request user for this permission in runtime, will push notification still working?

[grantland]

AFAIK that will not work right now since our SDK throws if you're missing GET_ACCOUNTS.

[hiBrianLee]

@grantland

AFAIK that will not work right now since our SDK throws if you're missing GET_ACCOUNTS.

With the new M permission model, GET_ACCOUNTS will result in a runtime checking of the permission since it's listed as a dangerous permission - https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/security/permissions.html#perm-groups

So are you saying that with the current SDK, push will not work on M devices (regardless of having it in the manifest)?

[grantland]

@tigerpenguin We require it being requested, aka being in AndroidManifest.xml, but don't require it being granted. Additionally, GCM only requires it for < 4.0.4.

With these two things in mind, push will work on all devices as it's currently configured.

[jlmcdonnell]

@grantland Out of curiosity, why do you require it being requested, but not granted? I don't want this permission in my Manifest if It's not required, which it isn't by the looks of it.

[grantland]

We require it in the manifest since there's no real way to programmatically check minSdkVersion and it would be confusing if developers supported 4.0.3 or below and only tested their apps on 4.0.4+, but never tested on on 4.0.3 and below.