Fix Play Store Rejection Due to SMS Permission - RRutors

According to google "You may only request permissions that are necessary to implement critical current features or services in your application. You may not use permissions that give access to the user or device data for undisclosed, unimplemented, or disallowed features or purposes"

 

If your app needs to read SMS for SMS-based user verification / OTP verification please use SMS Retriever API which does not need any SMS permission and your app can still read SMS for OTP verification

 

Google play has a new policy for sensitive permissions such as call and SMS If the core functionality of your app is not SMS, then you do not need to request for that permission. you can send the SMS using the default SMS app on the device. use Intent.ACTION_VIEW like the code shown below. Then remove those permissions in your manifest file
    
    

String intro="Write Message";
    String phoneNumber="1234567890"
    Uri sms_uri = Uri.parse("smsto:" +phoneNumber);
    Intent sms_intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, sms_uri);
    sms_intent.setData(sms_uri);
    sms_intent.putExtra("sms_body", intro);
    startActivity(sms_intent);