Barring something like voice memo (which isn't there anymore) why would an app want access to the microphone? I've had several apps ask me for permission (can't remember which off the top of my head), but some seemed a bit odd. Just curious.
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Why do apps need microphone access?
- Thread starter snerkler
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Depends on the app. 'Heads Up' is a game that records your friends as you play, so obviously needs to have access to the microphone.
My guess is it's just an inconsistency with apps that aren't updated for iOS7. Who knows, maybe it's related to the absence of voice memos.
I had one that turned Airplay into an intercom to a AirportExpress/TV.
Also Talkatone for Google Voice/Skype.
Some games have voice chat.
Voice memos will be back. It has been shown on an official Apple developer video. It is also noted in the iOS beta 1 notes that it is not present in this beta.
Ahh right, didn't know some apps did that.
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Yeah my memory's getting worse. Honestly, talk about early senility
Shazam is one that needs microphone access.
How else is it going to listen for and identify songs?
How else is it going to listen for and identify songs?
Snapchat uses it to detect surreptitious screenshots (at least that's the method it used in the past).
YouTube was one of the apps that wanted access to my microphone. I never tried, but maybe you can record and upload videos straight from the app. Personally, I think it should ask for permission if you try to record something. Maybe once the app has been updated properly for 7 it'll behave that way.
Right, I just meant maybe they left it out of this beta because they hadn't updated it yet to work with this new microphone permission popup.
Sleep Cycle is the only alarm app in the App Store that always goes off, regardless of the state of the iPhone (as long as it's on).
Many alarm developers are quite jealous, they haven't figured out how he does it. Well, used it for two days now and it requests microphone access! So that's the trick! The red bar comes on and keeps it active like a voice recorder.. and yet the app has no need for a mic, it's just a trick to get the OS to leave it running it seems... clever huh?
Many alarm developers are quite jealous, they haven't figured out how he does it. Well, used it for two days now and it requests microphone access! So that's the trick! The red bar comes on and keeps it active like a voice recorder.. and yet the app has no need for a mic, it's just a trick to get the OS to leave it running it seems... clever huh?
Perhaps, although if your phone is on silent there's no shutter sound, and pressing buttons can be done fairly quietly in most cases.
I thought it was done by monitoring the change in colour of what's displayed on the screen (It flashes white when you take a screenshot).
Addition: By the way... Snapchat uses the microphone for the video functionality – hold the shutter button down for a maximum of 9 seconds.
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So to get this straight. If you deny an app access to the microphone, it will not record audio? So if chose for one of my video editing apps to not access the microphone, and I record a video, it will not have audio?
What if the app records you anyway without your knowledge or consent, after allowing it to access the microphone. It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario. Sure it's covering Apple's ass. But not ours. Unless we don't want to audio in our videos, or voice recordings.
What if the app records you anyway without your knowledge or consent, after allowing it to access the microphone. It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario. Sure it's covering Apple's ass. But not ours. Unless we don't want to audio in our videos, or voice recordings.
I believe that it detected it by the state of touch events. In previous versions of iOS, touch events were "cancelled" when you took a screenshot. When you lift your finger off of the screen normally, the state was "ended." Supposedly this changed in iOS 7 but I'm not sure (I don't use Snapchat, just heard about this).
Funny, I just loaded Discovery's app for the first time after updating to iOS 7, and the OS prompted me to confirm microphone access for the app.
Far as I know, the app doesn't do anything that I think would need microphone access.
Werid, huh.
I wish Apple had built in optional access to the cameras like this, too. How do we know when they are being access by an app?
Far as I know, the app doesn't do anything that I think would need microphone access.
Werid, huh.
I wish Apple had built in optional access to the cameras like this, too. How do we know when they are being access by an app?
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I can't recall the names right now, but I too have had some apps ask for microphone access for no apparent reason. Sometimes I wonder if the app just has some unused microphone API in it's code, maybe left behind copy/pasted from somewhere or actually used for some reason early in development and taken out prior to release.
For security reasons, as a rule of thumb, if I know the app doesn't require the microphone I deny access. As annoying as those messages are (since most of my apps doesn't require the microphone), I'm actually glad Apple included this notification. At least I know which apps, and have the option to say "no".
