Android M to Give Users More Privacy Controls

That didn’t take long: hot on the heels of Google’s tacit confirmation that Android M would make an appearance at I/O later this month, Bloomberg reported that the new version of the mobile OS would offer greater control over a smartphone’s privacy settings.

According to the report, some Google insiders say that Android M will “give users more detailed choices over what aps can access,” which includes “photos, contacts or location.” That’s significant since so many apps that users download come with a laundry list of user information and settings for which they require access.

Sometimes it’s innocuous—like giving an app access to your phone dialer so it can get out of the way if you start receiving a call. Other times, though, apps will simply mine your data and beam it back home to sell for advertising. That’s not fun.

The new Android feature may end up being a wonderful addition. However, I also wouldn’t be too surprised if it also caused all sorts of problems. Sometimes changes like this can bring some unexpected consequences—either way, I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for that.

The other big question not addressed in the Bloomberg report, of course, is the dessert for which Android M will be named! What kind of snack that starts with M will Google choose? Marshmallow? Mallowmar? Meringue? Macaroon? Mint? Marscapone? M&M? M&M would be a terrible name for a new operating system.

I could literally keep going guessing M-snack names. It’s fun!

[Source: Bloomberg]