Articles like this are what gives Apple fodder to justify the ridiculous restrictions to what we can do in an application.
Of course it's easy to get the user's phone number. It should be, or we wouldn't be able to make applications that integrate with your contact list. It's bad enough that we can't receive call/sms notifications, access your calendar, and many other crippling restrictions.
@dagamer34: I really, really hope it won't, or it will be even hard to write useful applications.
Maybe Apple should require (and enforce) some kind of "capability manifest" in applications. For example, applications that access your contact information must state so in their manifest. The same for location and hopefully other currently inacessible features like calendar, call logs and even call/sms interception.
This manifest could then be used to show relevant warnings in the application page in iTunes, so users know what kind of access they're giving to apps before downloading them; then, at runtime, no more warnings.
@Pazu: who reads the fine print? I think apps that harvest private information should present a user with a one time permission request, and allow access to be adjusted after that in preferences.
If a developer is smart enough to be able to access a user's private information, they should be smart enough to be able to present a user with an initial permission request first.
Otherwise, who knows what innocent looking app can secretly trojan all your info to their servers.
This sounds like a serious privacy concern that Apple should address in the next firmware upgrade I don't think any app should be able to get that information without at least notifying the user.
@Jimmy From The Block: HOLY FRIGGIN CRAPS!!! Applications on my cell phone can get my cell phone number!!!! Yikes!!!
Naw, there's too many legitimate reasons an app would need you number. What they could do, though (and maybe they have, so somebody help me out if I'm late to this party), is include a list of data that an application can access before downloading like in the Android market.
This design means you can't use a protective case. Therefore it needs to wrap around the front a little and keep the glass front from breaking in the event of a fall.
09/29/09
I may be behind the feature curve, but I'm often glad I still use an iPod Touch and KRZR... but I do that mostly for battery reasons.
09/29/09
09/29/09
Of course it's easy to get the user's phone number. It should be, or we wouldn't be able to make applications that integrate with your contact list. It's bad enough that we can't receive call/sms notifications, access your calendar, and many other crippling restrictions.
09/29/09
09/29/09
Without a doubt, I expect iPhone apps to ask to use contact information when the iPhone OS 4.0 Firmware Update rolls around.
09/29/09
Maybe Apple should require (and enforce) some kind of "capability manifest" in applications. For example, applications that access your contact information must state so in their manifest. The same for location and hopefully other currently inacessible features like calendar, call logs and even call/sms interception.
This manifest could then be used to show relevant warnings in the application page in iTunes, so users know what kind of access they're giving to apps before downloading them; then, at runtime, no more warnings.
Please, Apple, please.
09/29/09
If a developer is smart enough to be able to access a user's private information, they should be smart enough to be able to present a user with an initial permission request first.
Otherwise, who knows what innocent looking app can secretly trojan all your info to their servers.
09/29/09
09/29/09
Naw, there's too many legitimate reasons an app would need you number. What they could do, though (and maybe they have, so somebody help me out if I'm late to this party), is include a list of data that an application can access before downloading like in the Android market.
09/29/09
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09/17/09
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09/16/09
Morbo approves of the Mogo.
09/16/09
09/16/09
Morbo: Belligerent and numerous.
09/16/09
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09/16/09
@BergenCountyJC:
09/16/09
@Kaiser-Machead: guess again
08/06/09
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