Unfortunately, Google have decided to ban apps which use accessibility service for things
other than 'helping users with disabilities'.
I plan to replace app detection with the usage stats API. Unfortunately, this
API started with API 21, (until they restrict the usage of that....) so people
using Tasker on a pre-Lollipop device won't be able to use app contexts anymore.
Since the term is so short, I'll have even less time that usual for other issues
for the next 30 days, sorry :-(
Same here. It's really a shame. In the email they said "should only be used" not "must only be used".
In my apps I use the notification click event to do stuff when my own notifications are tapped. Tasker requests accessibility service anyway. Would be great if you could make it optional.
Do you think we will get a update with the new API
and old accessibility service before the update that removes accessibility. Then we can disable updates till we get our profiles updated?
"I just found out through an online forum that Google has given app developers 30 days to remove all usage of disability services for apps that are not providing assistance to the disabled.
While that sounds good, there are a number of device automation apps that use disability services as a workaround to do things that Google has banned apps from performing.
Please remember that the users of these automation apps want these apps to perform all if these functions. That's why they bought the apps and spend significant time implementing their personal automation.
One of the reasons these automation app developers went down this path is the removal of permissions for apps to turn mobile data on/off, gps on/off, etc.
These are some of the basics that automation app users wanted to perform. But Google took that away without considering the automation apps.
This started the developers on the road to disability services as a workaround. They didn't do this out of malevolence or any other reason, only that it was the best available work around.
Please remember that these developers were responding to their users.
So now there is a significant number of happy Android users doing great things with their phones. They really are great ambassadors for Android. When I tell other engineers at work about my phone automation, they are really interested.
The question now becomes, how to keep a set of vocal Android supporters happy instead of alienating them. I don't think that Google really wants to alienate all of them.
My suggestion is that Google should have a web meeting with the developers to get ideas on a common path forward. How can Google support this use of Android devices? It is not only phones, but tablets and other devices that let users install apps.
One path forward is to set up an app classification for automation apps, where users have to agree that they want these automation apps to do things on their Android device that are not allowed by standard permissions. This may require sending a request to Google Play that gives an email/notification response with a link to set up this option.
Perhaps a section in the Settings app, like Developer options, would be a place for users to select the type of automation they want to do on their device.
While there is a significant number of automation app users, most of us are nerds due to the effort required. If Google could roll back the road blocks that caused developers to use work arounds, then more developers would move into this market because using straight forward documentation is much easier than figuring out the work arounds.
This is a significant opportunity for Google to show that they can work with developers, not just throw ideas over the wall.
Thanks for your patience in reading this email.
Jim Becker"
Unfortunately, Google have decided to ban apps which use accessibility service for things
other than 'helping users with disabilities'.
Pent
Unfortunately Google doesn't read these posts. Please go to Help & Feedback section in the PlayStore app. From there you can give Google some feedback.
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I am hoping that you can justify Taskers' use via descriptions etc. as requested. Many customers would complain to Google (myself included) if your app was pulled.
This report is extremely concerning for me. My Android will become unfit for purpose should I lose these apps. Work arounds are not acceptable. My Tasks and Projects are tuned to work exactly as I need. Google are potentially discriminating against disabled users with this choice. Here in the UK, that is an offence.
If necessary, I am more than happy to repurchase Tasker and my plugins that depend on accessibility should they need to be purchased outside of Play. Google wont get their 30% and the developers can continue to make their apps be fully functional. I am extremely angry at Google for this.
I know many users who are disabled that depend on Tasker and many plugins for similar reasons. As a disabled user and a tech savvy tinker, I fully endorse your app for purpose to enable users such as myself be able to live a normal as possible life. Without them, the quality of my life will be greatly diminished.
Thank you.
Pent,
I wrote a question once on stack overflow regarding app context: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30619349/android-5-1-1-and-above-getrunningappprocesses-returns-my-application-packag
I'm sure you're familiar with all the solutions and workarounds and I'm to going to choose Usage statistics API to solve this but I've read in comments to my question and some other places that Samsung and other vendors removed the Usage statistics permission settings from their devices, meaning this solutions won't work on over 50% of the market devices.
Are you familiar with that? Any workaround?
Thanks.
I'm sure you're familiar with all the solutions and workarounds and I'm to going to choose Usage statistics API to solve this but I've read in comments to my question and some other places that Samsung and other vendors removed the Usage statistics permission settings from their devices, meaning this solutions won't work on over 50% of the market devices.
But even if you remove everything, there is no guarantee it won't request the permission anyway. I've had tasker show up a toast because of missing accessibility service permission in a Variable Clear action occasionally. Also atm there is a serious bug that makes tasker mix and confuse different projects into each other (I reported this lower down).
For app creation it would be really great if we could customize the manifest.
Pent, what if you create a helper app which handles all accessibility services related stuff? Perhaps it's easier to justify and no functionality is lost
Pent, what if you create a helper app which handles all accessibility services related stuff? Perhaps it's easier to justify and no functionality is lost
What do I need to remove to make it export without using Accessibility Service.
Checking everything would take ages.
On the playstore, you may upload an app which when opened will take us to your website's download page. So that you go against the rules & the app stays good.
With the current change, Tasker & all other great apps will become useless for many.
PLEASE UPLOAD APK WITH ACCESSIBILITY SERVICE PERMISSION ON YOUR WEBSITE.
I have a feeling I'm going to be sick of the phrase 'my app context doesn't work
anymore' long before the end of the year.
That seems like an impractical approach. My project(s) consists of dozens of scenes with dozens of small tasks each. It's possible that there is something left there hidden or disabled, that references to something of another project.
That seems like an impractical approach. My project(s) consists of dozens of scenes with dozens of small tasks each. It's possible that there is something left there hidden or disabled, that references to something of another project.
You can also search for the relevant actions, events etc, the results are grouped by project.
That seems like an impractical approach. My project(s) consists of dozens of scenes with dozens of small tasks each. It's possible that there is something left there hidden or disabled, that references to something of another project.Checking everything would take ages.
BTW, next version (on Play Store), accessibility will not be included ever.Pent
BTW, next version (on Play Store), accessibility will not be included ever.Pent
Can't you just put a paid tasker 'key' app on playstore with the real tasker app elsewhere ( that only works if the key app is loaded and verified)
I found that the Phone -> Call state (call in progress state) also relies on accessibility service,
Unfortunately, Google have decided to ban apps which use accessibility service for things
other than 'helping users with disabilities'.
I got an email with a 30 day (how generous) notice today.
I plan to replace app detection with the usage stats API. Unfortunately, this
API started with API 21, (until they restrict the usage of that....) so people
using Tasker on a pre-Lollipop device won't be able to use app contexts anymore.
There are several other little pieces of functionallity which won't work anymore,
such as the Back Button action.
Since the term is so short, I'll have even less time that usual for other issues
for the next 30 days, sorry :-(
I have a feeling I'm going to be sick of the phrase 'my app context doesn't work
anymore' long before the end of the year.
Pent
Since you get 30 days to comply, any chance you can still push accessibility service versions of the app until the deadline? Would be nice for those of us who choose to stop updating, to at least get any final bug fixes/features. (that is if you happen to have anything in the works) ;-)
Clearly the authors should at least *try* to provide one. Seems like a slam dunk in the case of Tasker. For one, it is often used to speak notifications from other apps. Can also be used to forward notifications to displays large enough to read by the sight-impaired.
Not to mention that being able to hear notifications while driving contributes to safer roads. Such a benefit is not exclusive to the disabled, but certainly falls under accessibility.
What's the worst that can happen? They deny your claims? Seems far-fetched, but the only penalty would be exactly what appears to be happening now by default: removing useful features from the paid version. And surely at least some competitors will survive this "crisis" by simply making their case as a helper of the disabled.
Anyway, I don't care as long as I can still get an APK from somewhere that has the accessibility features, preferably with updates available on occasion.
Haven't seen much discussion about notification events, other than one mention of %NTITLE. I don't use %NTITLE as it is global, but assume that if it goes then the related event parameters will as well.
aye 3 strikes and your out from what ive been told
Developers can't just "try". If Google doesn't accept your point of view you are just banned (or just your app it depends on how many violations you did in the past) and you can't do anything, the risk is really high.
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Jay M ︻芫══一
Clearly the authors should at least *try* to provide one.
Haven't seen much discussion about notification events, other than one mention of %NTITLE. I don't use %NTITLE as it is global, but assume that if it goes then the related event parameters will as well.
Since you get 30 days to comply, any chance you can still push accessibility service versions of the app until the deadline? Would be nice for those of us who choose to stop updating, to at least get any final bug fixes/features. (that is if you happen to have anything in the works) ;-)I don't have anything significant, I was still in rest-and-bugfix mode after the UI update, sorry.
Will we still retain the ability to go back to a previous versions?
After when ?Sorry I should have given more details..
What about widget icons on home screen (with clicks?)
That's another point to address in author explanations and user feedback (latter likely useless).
That's great news, but not sure why %NTITLE was cited earlier in the thread.
What about widget icons on home screen (with clicks?)
I meant both. After the beta and after a play store update to the new version without accessibility service. Or would that be considered illegal..
Same here. The last time it happened the same to me, I tried to send them an email, they didn't reply. Google doesn't provide any kind of feedback and there's no space for discussion.
They asked for explanations. If they don't buy them, then would have to comply within the thirty day window.
There's no immediate penalty for trying to explain.
Also think this "only disabled" stipulation is a misinterpretation. Post the letter...
Post the text of the email. AIUI, they are asking for explanations and there is a thirty day window to do so. Couldn't hurt to *try*.
Maybe they won't respond. Maybe they will disagree. So what? No worse off than the proposed default surrender.
Maybe they grant an exception for an app with features that clearly help disabled people.
Pent, I assume English is not your first language, so post the wording of the letter. May be that you are misinterpreting their demands.
Who ever things you can reason or argue with Google: you can't. If your business and income are at stake, you just can't. "Google" it, it's all over the net. Google doesn't give two shits about small developers. Unless you're big and I mean BIG you better do everything they ask.
Is there an alternative solution for this?
I currently use several profiles that show a scene superimposed on other applications, I have tested it without the accessibility service and it does not work.
Is there an alternative solution for this?
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The info about %NTITLE comes from the guide and I've posted it here.
I use this very often
What's going to happen to the notification event? It can work without accessibility but only notices taps on notifications created by the kid app itself
Click :-)
https://www.androidauthority.com/accessibility
See that the %NTITLE confusion has been cleared up as well. Carry on...