Angry birds taking over my phone?

Rifter

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,522
751
126
I went to update angry birds the other day and noticed it had been kicked over to Manual updates because the permissions have changed.

Why does angry birds want permissions to Phone logs/calls/phone serial number, and to have access to my known accounts and full app list? Also full network acess and wifi logs as well as location logs?

Some of that i could see being legit if they are moving to a in game purchase system that requires the play store but things like phone logs and known accounts and apps list cant really be viewed any other way than they are trying to datamine your phone. And with full network/wifi access can call home whenever it wants.

I have since deleted all Angry birds apps, im just surprised they would try something like this and think people wouldnt notice.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
good developers list the reasons for all permissions in the app description. with something like angry birds you'll likely have to read the TOS to find out what they're actually up to.
 

KB

Diamond Member
Nov 8, 1999
5,403
386
126
I have seen apps do this all the time. They slowly request new permissions until they have all permissions. They need to keep growing revenues so they find new ways to monetize by getting more and more info to sell. Thats one reason I like Android is at least you get to see what they can do before installing it.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
Submit a 1-star review with the question about permissions. Sometimes a flood of users with the same question starts and you finally get an answer or change. Might not happen with something as big as Angry Birds but who knows.
 

GrumpyMan

Diamond Member
May 14, 2001
5,780
264
136
I sent them an email the other day complaining about the huge increase in ads on the free to play version. They don't care according to their response. That's their prerogative of course, just as mine was to uninstall all of them. Choice is good.
 

wirednuts

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2007
7,121
4
0
jeezus.. this game is popular due to luck. it got hyped and it took off. i really hope they dont think theyre that amazing of a company that they can do no wrong...
 

Tsaar

Guest
Apr 15, 2010
228
0
76
I switched to Android recently and found the ads horrid.

I went and looked at the iTunes app store and think they may be doing the same thing on the iOS versions. They will sink fast if they stop creating pay version with no ads.

I uninstalled EVERY Rovio game off my GN2 and N7. The ads really are that annoying.
 

wirednuts

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2007
7,121
4
0
root and adblock. android is a hell of a lot better once you do that. most apps pressure you into buying by limiting features.. and i think thats how it should be. the ads are just bs.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
I switched to Android recently and found the ads horrid.

I went and looked at the iTunes app store and think they may be doing the same thing on the iOS versions. They will sink fast if they stop creating pay version with no ads.

I uninstalled EVERY Rovio game off my GN2 and N7. The ads really are that annoying.

I remember years ago when they first brought Angry Birds to Android that they said they got quite a bit more money out of the free ad-supported version on Android then the 99c app on the iPhone. Apparently it was enough for them to completely abandon the ad-free versions on both sides. Looking at recent reviews it seems like a lot of people are upset at the size of the ads now and deleting the games, so maybe they'll actually see a hit in their ad revenue. One can dream anyway.
 

wirednuts

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2007
7,121
4
0
Looking at recent reviews it seems like a lot of people are upset at the size of the ads now and deleting the games, so maybe they'll actually see a hit in their ad revenue. One can dream anyway.

what they dont realize is their game is a fad. once people find something cuter, they will flock to that and angry birds will be left with gigantic ad spots they cant fill and a game that hasnt been improved because the money went to the ad implementations.
 

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
7,162
424
126
what they dont realize is their game is a fad. once people find something cuter, they will flock to that and angry birds will be left with gigantic ad spots they cant fill and a game that hasnt been improved because the money went to the ad implementations.
I'm sure they need to read this forum to find out this devastating news.

6 game spinoffs, books, a TV show, tons of merchandise, gazillions in profits... but what they don't realize is...

However annoying the whole franchise may be (IMO, very) every developer on the planet wishes they had a 'fad' like that.
 

wirednuts

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2007
7,121
4
0
i see what youre saying. i guess i was focusing on the game itself when really angry birds is a fad made into a trend through public hype. kids bought into it, and that works.

the game itself though.. i mean really... its nothing special
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
I remember years ago when they first brought Angry Birds to Android that they said they got quite a bit more money out of the free ad-supported version on Android then the 99c app on the iPhone. Apparently it was enough for them to completely abandon the ad-free versions on both sides. Looking at recent reviews it seems like a lot of people are upset at the size of the ads now and deleting the games, so maybe they'll actually see a hit in their ad revenue. One can dream anyway.

I don't play anymore because the ads. it takes up to much room.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
what they dont realize is their game is a fad. once people find something cuter, they will flock to that and angry birds will be left with gigantic ad spots they cant fill and a game that hasnt been improved because the money went to the ad implementations.

I think they very much realize this will probably be short lived success. They've completely saturated every market they could with angry birds merch. There's clothes, board games, stuffed animals, office supplies, etc. They're taking absolute advantage of their current popularity to a degree I haven't seen since Pokemon. It's friggin brilliant