The latest Android 4.3 is an incremental update with a number of enhancements and features. There are some features hidden under the layers though; just like multi user feature was in earlier Android versions. Among these hidden features that we are talking about, is support for the 4K displays. 4k displays, also known as UltraHD, gives a resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels. Though, smartphone have yet to pack that many pixels, Android supporting ultraHD would make developers capable of churning out programs that could take advantages of these many pixels.
Another secret, and very useful feature is Permission Manager. Permission Manager will give you the handle of giving out permissions to apps. Right now, when you download any app, the app requires certain permissions. Instagram would ask you the permission to access your photos, location-based apps would need access to the GPS, and so on. But at times, certain permissions just don't make any sense, like Facebook wanting to access your call logs being the case in point. Now we have no idea why exactly would Facebook want to have access to call logs, but well it does.
With Permission Manager in Android 4.3, you will have control over what permissions apps are allowed to have. You can tell any app to stop or give any permission. This latest feature is hidden under Android 4.3 and will be accessible to anyone using the latest Android.
How to use Permission Manager in Android 4.3:
- First of all; update your device to Android 4.3.
- Once your Android device is up to date with Android 4.3, download Permission Manager app.
Having this app on your Android device will give you access to what is called App ops - the Permission Manager! Once in Permission Manager, you'd be needed to know how to use it. Pretty simple! You will see a list of apps and four tabs: location, personal, messaging, and device. These tabs organize your installed apps based on the sort of permissions they use. Chatting apps would most likely be under the messaging; while camera would be in the device tab.
From these four lists, you can simply select any app and you'd be presented with the permission that app is using. Along with the permissions, you will see an easy on-off switch. Simply turn off any permissions that you don't want that app to use. Turning off permissions won't disable the app itself: app will work perfectly, it just would not be able use the features dependent on those permissions you have disabled.
Also, keep in mind that only the permissions that app is actually using will be shown in these lists. For example, to make the read call log permission for FB visible in Permission Manager, you'd have to actually use this feature by importing your contacts on Facebook. It's quite simple: current permissions inside the list; the ones not used ever won't be visible.
Finally, there is a reason this feature has been kept secret; it's not live and might not be fully ready for a usual user. So play with Android 4.3 Permission Manager on your own risk. 😉
