Comment Re:Clarification (Score 1) 249
The main problem with your cynicism in this case is that if the product were to be mainly marketed to imbeciles then why does it have any pretense at privacy protection at all?
For people like you. Having no protection at all gives bad press. Having at least some protection or pretense of protection? "Uh... those nerds again. Should come out of their mother's basement... I just want to use a device, not learn computer science...yada yada". It is easy to distinguish between no protection at all and protection. But the average joe sixpack cannot distinguish between good and bad protection.
But the most important reason: Blame shifting. If something happens, and it will happen, Google can always say: The user opted in. He chose to allow this app to use SMS. If there is no protection at all, Google might get sued.
The problem instead seems to be that there is in fact a sizable portion of users out there who do care at least a little about their privacy...
You are aware, that Android is NOT the main focus of Google's business interests? It is big data. So, if someone has quantifiable information about 'the sizable portion', I'd guess it is Google. As much as it might hurt, geeks or nerds don't matter. Perhaps in the beginning as early adopters and multiplicators, but later on? When there is a userbase which goes into millions? Forget it.