Do Play Services and the Play Store need the “Sensors” permission?

momo55

I noticed that this permission, along with the network permission, is enabled by default. The network one makes sense, but do they actually require access to the sensors permission? Or can I disable the sensors permission without causing issues?

Novalissoide

Settings > Security & Privacy > More Security & Privacy > Allow sensors permissions to apps by default
This can be turned OFF.
Then the few apps that need it can be allowed on demand.

schweizer

Novalissoide the few apps that need it can be allowed on demand

Yes and no. Because there are no requests to enable sensors some functions of an app may not work. You may notice something does not work but not relate it to this permission. Or you may not notice anything because the permission is needed for a nice to have function. That is the reason why it is enabled by default.

Probably9857

schweizer You may notice something does not work but not relate it to this permission.

The default behavior is to show a notification when sensor access is attempted and denied. So it should be fairly obvious if an issue is related to denying sensor permission.

Novalissoide

schweizer I would agree when it comes to most of the other toggling options, I've just never really observed any troubles from the default sensors switch off

schweizer

Probably9857 The default behavior is to show a notification when sensor access is attempted and denied. So it should be fairly obvious if an issue is related to denying sensor permission.

Please cite a source for this. It is wrong according to my test I just did. Denied play services and maps sensors and ran it. No warning at all. Please be more careful with claims in future.

I am sure I read about this in the GOS documentation as well. It may be a few years back.

Canardo_Sanchez

PlayStore doesn't need sensors at all.
Maps uses sensors data given by PlayService.
It won't work if you just give it to Maps, and it is a terrible experience without it.

That's the only reason I know why you would give sensor access to PlayService.

Novalissoide

schweizer usually a pop-on-screen notification about '-----(app) tried to access sensors', and then you get to enable the app sensors permissions or keep deny the permissions.

Probably9857

schweizer

schweizer Please cite a source for this

OK.

GrapheneOS creates an easy-to-disable notification when apps try to access sensors blocked by the permission being denied. This makes the feature more usable since users can tell if the app is trying to access this functionality.

https://grapheneos.org/features#sensors-permission-toggle

Probably9857

schweizer It is wrong according to my test I just did. Denied play services and maps sensors and ran it. No warning at all.

Besides the project making the same claim, I have seen this notification recently myself.

It is possible that the notification is only shown the first time an app attempts it.

schweizer Please be more careful with claims in future.

Good advice.

schweizer

Probably9857 Thank you for the link. I would bet that was different the last time I checked this site. It is good they improved this. However my test and MetropleX shows that not always there is a prompt.

MetropleX

No they don't need them to open and function, some functions may require it especially when rotating your phone to align yourself with your route etc however as mentioned above you can turn them off and when they request them you'll see the notification. If they don't request them you won't. You may still see broken functionality such as that above without them requesting them, if using maps to navigate without sensors it will be GPS that enables orientation and progress to be tracked on the map.