@GrapheneOS
I wrote:
cb474 The Graphene devs have been clear that the problem is that Messages wants special permissions that GrapheneOS does not allow the app to have (but stock Android does). So the problem with RCS is because of the way GrapheneOS restricts apps.
You replied:
GrapheneOS No, it's not because of any restrictions added by GrapheneOS. It's because for a couple carriers Google Messages requires being a privileged system component with highly privileged permissions unavailable to regular apps. GrapheneOS does not reduce app compatibility in the way you're describing.
I really don't see how what I said is not the same thing as what you said, except with more detail. Messages requires special permissions, as I said. You also say this, except you further specifiy Messages can only attain those permissions by being a privileged system component. GrapheneOS does not allow Messages to run as a privileged system component, but on stock Android for Pixel devices Messages is allowed to run in this fashion. Not allowing Messages to work in the way Google has designed it to work on stock Android is a restriction that Graphene places on Messages (as well as many other Google apps, including the Play Store and Play Services themselves). I just don't see how my statement is not consistent with yours.
I was also basing what I wrote on you own prior post in this thread:
GrapheneOS The issues with some specific carriers are a separate thing. We've determined Google Messages appears to have started requiring a bunch of privileged permissions for certain carriers recently. That's why old versions still work for those users on T-Mobile, etc.
That sounds a lot like what I wrote.
The problem being "privileged permissions" that Messages requires for certain carriers (but, as an aside, which will probably spread to more carriers in the future) is also entirely how the issue is discussed on the github issue tracker for this problem: https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/6331
So in stock Android many apps, mainly Google apps, are allowed to run as privileged system components and thereby acquire special/privileged permissions. On GrapheneOS that functionality for those apps is restricted, by instead treating them as regular apps (although I assume there are some apps that still run this way perhaps?).
In any case, the two people I was responding to were uncertain whether the issue with RCS and Messages on GrapheneOS was particular to GrapheneOS or not. They were questioning what a carrier had said. So I was trying to clarify that the issue does have to do with how GrapheneOS works, in counterdistinction from how stock Android works.