[android] Huawei Mobile Services App - You want to do what with my phone!?!

[Dos_Box]

Whilst sat with my significant other last night she got a message on her phone claiming to be an 'update notification'.

Opening this took her to the Play Store where she was invited to install the Huawei Mobile Services app.

Being the (very) sensible type she is, she started to read through the bumf before she passed her phone over to me saying 'No way is that going anywhere near my phone!'.

I've included screengrabs of the permissions the app was seeking below and let you draw your own conclusions:

 

 

 

[StevieM]

Yet how many people will just tap 'Accept - Install'?

[PotNoodleTech]

Why would you want to install that kinda rubbish? I tell you what if you think that's bad the number of games and other apps that require all of those types of permissions is beyond. I have not even updated the YouTube app on mine as it requires access to EVERYTHING.

[gtg93]

I have the P30 Pro and this is installed by default - can't remove without root.

 

Just checked and all the permissions are disabled for the app on my phone except calls and sms (believe I had to enable these to use the default caller/text app). Not been forced to enable any of the other permissions for other default apps however... Concerning how many apps request such permissions in the Play Store without any need whatsoever.

[john]

As @gtg93 said its a default Huawei app, it will want a chunk of access as it can do Huawei cloud backup like Google but to Huawei's systems and you can use the Huawei cloud storage etc...

 

Does she have a Huawei phone @Dos_Box?

[Dos_Box]

As @gtg93 said its a default Huawei app, it will want a chunk of access as it can do Huawei cloud backup like Google but to Huawei's systems and you can use the Huawei cloud storage etc...

 

Does she have a Huawei phone @Dos_Box?

 

Yup, it was the way it appeared in her notifications as a system update which really narked her.

[ZeroHour]

Notice its not actually on the play store, it seems like its a direct APK download as thats in her browser not play store.

[Dos_Box]

So it is, I hadn't noticed, mind you we were too busy looking at the permissions.

It is on the Play store and the reviews make enlightening reading as to it's quality - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.huawei.hwid&hl=en_GB&showAllReviews=true

I wonder if the direct download from Huawei is different from the Play store version.

[MatthewL]

I've just changed back to a Samsung, friend has bought the P30 but doesn't seem to bother them regarding what they could be up to.

[hardtailstar]

At least they are being honest!!

[Norphy]

Is this a case of the app actually needing these permissions or is the developer being lazy and just ticking all of the boxes in the development environment and never going never them?

[PotNoodleTech]

Is this a case of the app actually needing these permissions or is the developer being lazy and just ticking all of the boxes in the development environment and never going never them?

 

It's not Laziness, it's purpose, the purpose of harvesting as much data as possible and then selling it on.

 

Really - Google / Apple should step up here to protect peoples data and for every app they should check what it is asking for and consider if that is a spurious request, e.g. why does YouTube need access to your phone contacts??!

[jthompson]

At least they are being honest!!

 

Do we reckon that the 4,513,000,000 installs figure is accurate?

[john]

Do we reckon that the 4,513,000,000 installs figure is accurate?

 

When its on every Huawei Android Device and they are the number 2 Android smart phone maker in the world most possibly (Samsung is number 1 if you didn't guess)

[jthompson]

Isn't it going to only be on every recent one. Don't old ones that shipped with Google Play Services still have it?

[jmak]

Do we reckon that the 4,513,000,000 installs figure is accurate?

When its on every Huawei Android Device and they are the number 2 Android smart phone maker in the world most possibly (Samsung is number 1 if you didn't guess)

That's one each for >60% of the world's population!

[john]

That's one each for >60% of the world's population!

 

So I have had 3 Huawei devices (still have 2 of them) and I suspect many will have more than 1 so maybe not quite as bad as that stat but they are a huge brand especially in the far east.

[jthompson]

So I have had 3 Huawei devices (still have 2 of them) and I suspect many will have more than 1 so maybe not quite as bad as that stat but they are a huge brand especially in the far east.

 

Is that app going to have been installed on all of their phones, though? I thought it was a relatively recent invention, only in the last year or so.

 

Even the Google and Facebook apps on the Play Store top out at saying 5b+. Granted, that could mean anything over 5b, but it suggests that it's not 10b or so.

Edited January 20, 2020 by jthompson

[ZeroHour]

Remember that page is not google play store so they could be making anything up tbh. It also possibly is on every device they have sold inside China. I guess they pushed the non play store version because of the whole USA issue while they prep their own store in the future.

[mavhc]

If you're using their hardware, with an os they installed, then why are you so worried about what an app they wrote can do? The phone could take all that info without even Android knowing if it was programmed to