Why I can't play Angry Birds Space.

I wanted to play Angry Birds Space.  It's a simple thing. Should've been a no-brainer.

I tried it on my iPod touch, but it doesn't have iOS 4, so I'm deemed not-worthy.  I can't upgrade to iOS 4 because to do that requires a newer version of iTunes than my Mac OS version will let me install.  I can't upgrade my Mac OS because it's an old Mac and won't RUN a newer version..   So, to play it on my iPod, I would need to buy a new Mac.
Not going to happen.

Or I could install iTunes on my Windows PC and struggle to sync my music over, and then struggle to get it to do anything because the Windows version of iTunes is just not very good. (Sorry)

So, I thought I'd try the Android version on my phone..  I went to the Google app store thing (or Google Play as it now appears to be called) and went to download it.  Glancing at the permissions made me stop in my tracks..



COARSE (NETWORK-BASED) LOCATION
It doesn't really need that, but lots of apps ask for this for targeted advertising though so I wasn't overly shocked. Also my location services are turned off generally, so it wouldn't actually get them anything.

FULL INTERNET ACCESS
Ok, I can see it would want that to download adverts etc. I'm ok with that.

MODIFY/DELETE USB STORAGE CONTENTS MODIFY/DELETE SD CARD CONTENTS
Yep, fair play, how else would it store what levels I've done.

READ PHONE STATE AND IDENTITY

...

I'm sorry..

What?

READ PHONE STATE AND IDENTITY
No, I heard you the first time.   What exactly does that mean?

"Allows the application to access the phone features of the device. An application with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like."

Really?!

Now Angry Birds Space is free on Android, so I have to expect some trade off..  But let's put this in perspective..  But I'd have to let Rovio see the unique ID and phone number of my phone, and any phone number I'm on a call to?!  No. I'm sorry, but no free game is worth that kind of privacy hole.


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UPDATE - Rovio have explained why it needs those permissions - apparently part of some in-game payment system...  Which actually makes me feel even less happy about it..

http://www.androidcentral.com/rovio-explains-why-angry-birds-update-needs-sms-permission