Why does the Android app require so many permissions?
The Android application requires a variety of permissions. Some of the permissions that we ask for can be worrisome for our users. This document briefly explains why we request certain permissions.
- Location Permission - This permission is necessary for Geofences and Beacons. If you have any Geofences enabled, they will not work without this permission. If you do not use Geofences or Beacons, this permission is not necessary.
- Run On Start Up - This permission is necessary for Geofences and Beacons. If you have any Geofences or Beacons, they will be destroyed by the OS when turning off your device. This permission allows us to re-add the Geofences and Beacons when the phone has rebooted.
- Photos / Media / Files - This permission is necessary for uploading images. If you want to change your profile picture by either taking a picture with your camera or selecting a picture from your gallery, you will need this permission. If you do not use image-upload, this permission is not necessary.
- Bluetooth - This permission is necessary for Beacons. Beacons determine your location by monitoring your Bluetooth proximity. If you do not use Bluetooth, this permission is not necessary.
- Contacts - This permission is necessary for Adding Multiple Users. The phone will gather all of the users in your Contacts with an email address, check your company to determine if the users is already a member of the company, and allow you to quickly add a user to the company at the touch of a button. If you do not use this bulk Add User function, this permission is not necessary.
Finally, with the release of Android Marshmallow (6.0+), permissions have changed for the better! We no longer will ask for all of these permissions when installing the application but rather ask for them within the application as they are needed. If you do not feel comfortable with allowing access to so many permissions when you are installing the application, upgrade your device to Android 6.0.