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Android 4.4 Disables SD Card Access for Apps

posted by Dopefish on Wednesday February 19 2014, @08:00AM   Printer-friendly
from the my-way-or-the-highway dept.
quadrox writes:

"It used to be possible for Android apps to access any kind of storage on an android device through the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. Writing to the SD card is useful for many different kinds of apps, e.g. file managers or cloud storage synchronization. However, the latest version of Android will no longer allow apps to write anywhere on external storage media, instead apps will only be allowed to access app-specific folders on SD cards. Android Police has an excellent writeup of the changes and the implications for users."

[ED Note: This is bound to irritate power users that rely on their SD cards for additional device storage.]

 
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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by RamiK on Wednesday February 19 2014, @08:18AM

    by RamiK (1813) on Wednesday February 19 2014, @08:18AM (#2363)

    It's a sensible default restriction. After all, you wouldn't want any trivial App accessing the SD card. However, there should be a specific permission made for file-managers to access the SD cards without having to root.

    That said, I can't say having no SD card stopped me from recommending or using the Nexus. So, it's no deal breaker as far as I'm concerned.

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  • (Score: 1) by dilbert on Wednesday February 19 2014, @08:55AM

    by dilbert (444) on Wednesday February 19 2014, @08:55AM (#2391)
    No external SD card was a deal breaker for me when it came to the Nexus. Perhaps it's because my carrier's data connection sucks, perhaps because I'm old fashioned, but I pre-load all my music/movies/tv to my phone/SD card so I can still access media when my data connection is too slow. I'm very careful about what apps I install on my phone though, so I've never had enough installed where I needed to move the app install to the SD card though.

    • (Score: 2, Informative) by ArhcAngel on Wednesday February 19 2014, @12:45PM

      by ArhcAngel (654) on Wednesday February 19 2014, @12:45PM (#2587)

      Memory OEM's hear you load and clear. That's why the wireless USB Flash Drive [amazon.com] was created.

      • (Score: 2) by dilbert on Wednesday February 19 2014, @01:11PM

        by dilbert (444) on Wednesday February 19 2014, @01:11PM (#2615)
        Thanks, I wasn't aware these existed. I still think I'd prefer to have a traditional microSD card/slot, but alternatives are never a bad thing.

        • (Score: 1) by ArhcAngel on Wednesday February 19 2014, @01:24PM

          by ArhcAngel (654) on Wednesday February 19 2014, @01:24PM (#2629)

          I'd prefer to be rich, thin, irresistible to women, and healthy but for now healthy will have to do.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 19 2014, @09:51AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 19 2014, @09:51AM (#2443)

    The Nexus 5 is a total piece of crap. It's darn near impossible to do a simple thing like edit or delete a calendar event. And don't get me started with Hangouts or the dialer. If that's stock Kit Kat, you can have it. Even Windows Mobile 6 was better.

    The movement sensor for landscape/portrait view is WAY too sensitive too.
     

    • (Score: 2, Interesting) by thegothicguardian on Wednesday February 19 2014, @01:55PM

      by thegothicguardian (425) on Wednesday February 19 2014, @01:55PM (#2671)

      I heartily disagree, and find the Nexus 5 to be a high-quality device. Stock Android does not have the most desirable usability, but it is profoundly simple to use a more customizable ROM such as AOKP [aokp.co] and free app replacements for the dialer and calendar.

      The sensor in my Galaxy S2 was incredibly finicky, but this phone works every time, and never accidentally. You can even turn off automatic rotation.