Android 12: Using SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM permission to get/show data at specific time are safe in Google Play Policy?

Question

I have an Android app on Play store for 8 years. Recently Google release Android S or 12 introduce some limit with Foreground service launch restrictions

https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/behavior-changes-12#foreground-service-launch-restrictions

and Exact alarm permission

https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/behavior-changes-12#exact-alarm-permission

In the app I use foreground service and alarm clock to schedule update weather data from the cloud and device sensor and send notification to user, update the widget. But they said: Exact alarms should only be used for user-facing features so if I continue use those API, it is safe (with Google Play policy)?

I ask this because other solution like sticky notification with foreground service and workmanager not work as my requirements.

Answer 1

if you are testing android 12 then don't forget to add this line to Manifest

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM" />

Update:

Android 13 generated a security exception and solution was to add below two lines in manifest:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_EXACT_ALARM" />

Answer 2

Yes, the android.permission.SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM it's safe to use, on Android 12 this permission is automatically granted by the Android system but on Android 13 you need to check if the user has granted this permission.

So you need to add the permission to the manifest

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM"/>

And then you need to check if the permission was granted, if not granted then you need to redirect the user to the Alarms & Reminders page

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S) {
    val alarmManager = ContextCompat.getSystemService(context, AlarmManager::class.java)
    if (alarmManager?.canScheduleExactAlarms() == false) {
        Intent().also { intent ->
            intent.action = Settings.ACTION_REQUEST_SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM
            context.startActivity(intent)
        }
    }
}

Google also suggests that you need to check any changes on this permission by registering a Broadcast Receiver and check the changes on ACTION_SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM_PERMISSION_STATE_CHANGED

Answer 3

Google states: "(when your app) requires precisely-timed actions". Your use case is "to schedule update weather data (…) send notification to user". While this might be user-facing, it doesn't seem to require to be precisely on a certain time. I would guess your app doesn't qualify.

The methods requiring the additional permission are currently: setExact(), setExactAndAllowWhileIdle() and setAlarmClock(). Repeating alarms will always be inexact. Seems like getting processing weather data and device sensors is something repetitive anyway.

Answer 4

effective solution you need to add the permission to the manifest before <application

Answer 5

From what you've mentioned, you're talking about user-facing features.

A hypothetical example of the opposite would be Facebook forcing synchronization of user data at some specific time. That would be bad because it's preferable not to force a schedule on those types of things as it doesn't matter whether it happens at a specific time or a minute later when system resources are not used by some other service.

Also, "should" means it's a recommendation. Facebook can do the above, but it would be a less optimal solution. It's best to leave control over those kinds of services to Android as it would likely do a better job at distributing resources and preventing lag. So in other words, you not listening to their recommendation won't get your app removed from the app store or something like that.

Also, the paragraph you quoted from the second link, has a link to examples of acceptable use cases, and it mentions alarm apps. This is likely why your question was downvoted.