> A few examples of excessive permissions:
> * Disable your screen lock
I believe this is for the "call screen" (though it's never really worked for me and my phone gets or stays locked nonetheless when I call someone or someone calls me).
> * External storage (why not use internal "app only" storage?)
Because otherwise you can't extract photos you received (let alone view videos) which, from a security standpoint, is good but it's something you'll have a hard time selling to the average user. The same goes for sharing your location.
I believe this is for the "call screen" (though it's never really worked for me and my phone gets or stays locked nonetheless when I call someone or someone calls me).
> * External storage (why not use internal "app only" storage?)
Because otherwise you can't extract photos you received (let alone view videos) which, from a security standpoint, is good but it's something you'll have a hard time selling to the average user. The same goes for sharing your location.