Results list with last accessed apps?

[ltguillaume]

Description

I currently have "Recent history" as initial results list. This does not, however, include all recently accessed apps, since I sometimes trigger apps from within other apps.

Solution

Is there a way to fetch the most recently accessed apps from the system in order to show those in a results list, instead of just those apps that were started by TBLauncher directly?

Alternative solutions

Additional context

[TBog]

I don't know of any way without asking for impossible permissions. But haven't looked into this much.

Accessing the recent activity of a users without consent, could force users to believe that your app is some sort of spyware installed on their device.

[TBog]

📌 The Solution: Using UsageStatsManager.queryEvents Most methods on this API require the permission android.permission.PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS this is a special permission and not a runtime permission like CAMERA or WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE which can be requested by the app. This is evident, as this is a sensitive permission, accessing user’s personal data, regarding which the user needs to be aware.

[ltguillaume]

My reasoning would be that the permission itself wouldn't be an issue, since 1) TBLauncher makes no network connections, and 2) I consider the "severity" of this permission to be on par with the contacts and the phone permissions.

I do appreciate the difference of those two being a runtime permissions, though, while this one isn't, and the fact that "average" Android users never really see the difference between apps that do or do not require the INTERNET permission.

[TBog]

I consider the "severity" of this permission to be on par with the contacts and the phone permissions.

This is not a permission that can be granted in a popup, like with contacts. I think it might be similar to the "Device Admin" permission.

I'll keep this open for when I have time to investigate the UsageStatsManager API

[ltguillaume]

Yeah, that's what I meant with

I do appreciate the difference of those two being a runtime permissions, though, while this one isn't

Thanks for looking into this! 🙂

[opk12]

Not an Android dev, but what about splitting the permission into a companion app, as mentioned in #324?

[ltguillaume]

Oof I almost forgot about the fact that I created this issue, even though I keep running into this thinking "boy, wouldn't this be nice to have" 😅