Trend of App updates adding Photos Library access?

[nohra]

To preface my question, I'll just say that I haven't seen this in the threads, so I apologize if there's already a discussion on the topic. I also realize a lot people don't care about this (the 'if they want to see pictures of my dog, they can' argument).

I may be wrong, but it seems like a lot of apps that I don't remember requiring access to what used to be called "photo, music, and video libraries" are having required access to "photos library" in recent updates. For example, I don't remember Bing Weather requiring access to photos, but in the recent update it gets access to photos library. (on a hunch I looked at archive.org to see a past version of Bing Weather on the WP store site, and in mid January it didn't not have a req to photo access)

2 possibilities:

1. I'm just mistaken, and these apps have always required access to "photo, music, and video" and are just being converted to "photos library" related to changes for Black or even prep for Blue
2. These apps did not in fact access photos before, but for some reason lots of apps are now

Not a big issue, just curious if anyone knows of an actual trend or reason for more apps getting photos access in recent updates.

Obviously a lot of responses to this kind of question are usually "if you don't want them to access photos, don't install them". Well yeah, but I'm just curious why it seems a lot of apps are now requiring photo access in recent updates.

Thanks!

 

[hopmedic]

The answer is most likely in the ads. Here's a write-up I did about required capabilities... Note that Microsoft's own ad network requires Media access, and it is to be able to save ads to the media library.
http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...es-why-does-x-app-use-location-media-etc.html

 

[nohra]

Thanks hopmedic, that does explain a lot of the things I've wondered about requirements! I can understand it being frustrating for a Dev, having to require access for the sake of ads and having potential users wonder why an app needs access to the phones photos! It'd be nice if Microsoft could make the requirements a little more detailed, like have a section of requirements for the app itself and a section of requirements related to things like ads. something like:

App Requires: location, data services
Advertisement Requires: location, photos library, data services

Certainly not the biggest worry on their plate, of course! Thanks again for the great info!