Get ready for Android M, for "more privacy"
Google's next Android update may put privacy back into its owners' hands -- literally.
According to sources speaking to Bloomberg on Thursday, the next iteration of Android will give users more detailed choices over what data apps can access. That includes access to photos, contacts, and location data, according to the report.
ZDNet's Kevin Tofel noted the change would give a user more granular controls over their data and how its used, adding that the option has been present in the past -- albeit hidden for developers' use only.
The anticipated move would follow in the footsteps of Google's closest rival, Apple, which added similar security features more than two years ago.
The announcement is expected to be made at its Google IO developer conference later this month.
But what else Google does in response to the growing trend of security and privacy-focused users remains unknown.
The company has faced heavy criticism from federal agencies in response to its bid to encrypt its devices in the wake of the National Security Agency disclosures almost two years ago. While Apple also followed suit, Google later confirmed it would be limited to its own brand of Nexus devices.
Whether or not more privacy features, including device encryption, lands in the next upcoming mass-market version of Android remains to be seen.
Google did not respond to a request for comment outside business hours Friday, but declined to comment to Bloomberg.