Android 6.0 permission.GET_ACCOUNTS

Question

I'm using this to get permission:

if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(context, Manifest.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {      // Should we show an explanation?     if (ActivityCompat.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(context, Manifest.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS)) {      } else {         // No explanation needed, we can request the permission.         ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(context, new String[]{Manifest.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS}, PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_GET_ACCOUNTS);          // MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ_CONTACTS is an         // app-defined int constant. The callback method gets the         // result of the request.     } } 

But the pop up dialog for permission asks user for access Contacts!?!?

In pre 6.0 in Play Store with

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

request is named Identity and explains I need it to get device account.

Answer 1

That is because of Permission Groups. Basically, permissions are placed under different groups and all permissions from that group would be granted if one of them is granted.

Eg. Under "Contacts" , there is write/read contacts and get accounts, so when you ask for any of those, the popup asks for Contacts permissions.

Read through: Everything every Android Developer must know about new Android's Runtime Permission

---

EDIT 1

Just thought i'l add the related(not to get accounts but permissions and groups) Oreo update info:
source: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/android-8.0-changes.html#rmp

Prior to Android 8.0 (API level 26), if an app requested a permission at runtime and the permission was granted, the system also incorrectly granted the app the rest of the permissions that belonged to the same permission group, and that were registered in the manifest.

For apps targeting Android 8.0, this behavior has been corrected. The app is granted only the permissions it has explicitly requested. However, once the user grants a permission to the app, all subsequent requests for permissions in that permission group are automatically granted.

---

Answer 2

GET_ACCOUNTS was moved into the CONTACTS permission group in Android 6.0. While the API has us provide permissions, the user (for Android 6.0 at least) is prompted for permission groups. Hence, the user will be given the same prompt for GET_ACCOUNTS as the user would get for READ_CONTACTS or WRITE_CONTACTS.