IssueTracker

I confirm manifest merger says "reason: com.google.android.gms.license has a targetSdkVersion < 4"

Please help me how to fix that ? i can't remove READ_PHONE_STATE from my app when update to Play Services 12.0.0 !

I also encounter the same error when i update to Play services 12.0.0. My targetSdkVersion is 26.

I really appreciate your early feedback.

Thank you so much!

I can confirm the issues relates not only to the READ_PHONE_STATE permission, but also WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. I made no changes permission-wise to my application, when trying to update, I get the following warning in Play Console:
"New permissions added
WARNING
Users that have the APK with version code 19 may need to accept one or more of the android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE and android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permissions, which may result in them not upgrading to this version of the app."

We were not able to reproduce the issue with the information provided here. Can you please provide the below requested information to better understand the issue:

Please provide sample project or apk to reproduce the issue.  Also mention the steps to be followed for reproducing the issue with the given sample project or apk.

SDK version

Which version of the SDK are you using?

Android build
Which Android build are you using? (e.g. KVT49L)

Device used
Which device did you use to reproduce this issue?

Steps to reproduce
What steps do others need to take in order to reproduce the issue themselves?

Frequency
How frequently does this issue occur? (e.g 100% of the time, 10% of the time)

Expected output
What do you expect to occur?

Current output
What do you see instead?

logcat output
See http://developer.android.com/tools/help/logcat.html. Copy and paste relevant sections of the logcat output into this issue.

Android bug report
After reproducing the issue, press the volume up, volume down, and power button simultaneously. This will capture a bug report on your device in the “bug reports” directory. Attach the bug report  file to this issue.

Alternate method:
After reproducing the issue, navigate to developer settings, ensure ‘USB debugging’ is enabled, then enable ‘Bug report shortcut’. To take bug report, hold the power button and select the ‘Take bug report’ option.

Please refer to https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/76021774 (marked a duplicate for some reason) since it contains the exact explanation why this issue happens.

Android Studio 3.0.1

compileSdkVersion 27
buildToolsVersion "26.0.2"

minSdkVersion 16
targetSdkVersion 27

dependencies {
    implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-messaging:12.0.0'
    compile fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:27.1.0'
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:12.0.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:27.1.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:27.1.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:27.1.0'
    implementation files('libs/glide-full-4.5.0.jar')
}
apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'

Before the update the play services lib was 11.8.0 and the permission android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE wasn't added and they are not part of the manifest.xml

Check the details mentioned here: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/76021774

Seeing the same issue.
Attaching a screenshot from the manifest merger to try and speed up the bug filtering process.

A possible workaround here is to add 'tools:node="remove"' on the new unwanted permissions, as explained in https://developer.android.com/studio/build/manifest-merge.html

The same thing has happened to me. I'm using only 'play-services-ads:12.0.0' , my config:
- Windows 7 64 bit,
- Android Studio 3.0.1,
- compileSdkVersion 27
- buildToolsVersion "27.0.3"
- minSdkVersion 14
- targetSdkVersion 27

Merging log: "Implied from the gameActivity main manifest (this file), line 1; reason: com.google.android.gms.license has a targetSdkVersion < 4"

I have the same issue.

One way to bypass this is to manually remove the permission:

<uses-permission
    android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE"
    tools:node="remove" />

Unity3d projects using the play services lib 12.0.0 also got this issue so the users are prompted to accept the permissions added by the play services lib on app start.

Can you please provide the information requested in comment #6 to investigate further.

MORE DETAILS (and steps to reproduce with google provided skeleton new project)

com.google.android.gms:play-services-base:12.0.0 adds 3! new permissions:

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Steps to reproduce is REALLY SIMPLE:
1. Android Studio 3.0.1 -> Create New Project -> Use defaults (and probably doesn't matter, but add kotlin support and choose empty activity in the wizard).
2. in app/build.gradle add dependency: implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-base:12.0.0'
3. Build and look at the file: app/build/intermediates/manifests/full/debug/AndroidManifest.xml (see the 3 permissions)
4. If you change back to 11.8.0, you will see, that the 3 permissions are not there.

Project can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/emq8xlp6gppwd12/GooglePlayServicesManifestIssue.zip?dl=0

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reasons they get added is statet in the manifest merger report in app/build/outputs/logs/manifest-merger-debug-report.txt

uses-permission#android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
IMPLIED from /Users/pboos/Development/Test/GooglePlayServicesFailure/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:2:1-21:12 reason: com.google.android.gms.license has a targetSdkVersion < 4
uses-permission#android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
IMPLIED from /Users/pboos/Development/Test/GooglePlayServicesFailure/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:2:1-21:12 reason: com.google.android.gms.license has a targetSdkVersion < 4
uses-permission#android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
IMPLIED from /Users/pboos/Development/Test/GooglePlayServicesFailure/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:2:1-21:12 reason: com.google.android.gms.license requested WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------f

@ googler from #6 and #14

SDK version

Which version of the SDK are you using?
Not related, because it happens with 25, 26, 27, ... (it is related to the build, or clearer to the dependencies in google play services)

Android build
Not device related, because the permission gets added in the apk build. So the permission is in the APK and will be present on any android phone.

Device used
Not device related, because this happens during the APK BUILD.

Steps to reproduce
1. Android Studio 3.0.1 -> Create New Project -> Use defaults (and probably doesn't matter, but add kotlin support and choose empty activity in the wizard).
2. in app/build.gradle add dependency: implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-base:12.0.0'

Download project here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/emq8xlp6gppwd12/GooglePlayServicesManifestIssue.zip?dl=0

Frequency
100%

Expected output
AndroidManifest.xml in apk (and in app/build/intermediates/manifests/full/debug/AndroidManifest.xml) should not have any premissions.

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Current output
AndroidManifest.xml in apk (and in app/build/intermediates/manifests/full/debug/AndroidManifest.xml) has the following premissions

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

This is not a runtime issue. What you are asking for reproduce doesn't help.

The problem is clear.
Unnecessary Permission is being asked because one of the manifest file in Google Play Services 12.0.0 doesn't specify minSdk.

Check the source, compare with 11.8, and fix it please.

We have passed this to the development team and will update this issue with more information as it becomes available.

New version v12.0.1 has recently been released... seems to address the problem.

RG

Yeah! Problem should be fixed.

Fixed in 12.0.1 and published.

Release notes updated: https://developers.google.com/android/guides/releases.