EDIT: I was wrong, this is one of the permissions they require on Android, however, not on iOS as Apple doesn't make it available to third-party developers.
Almost all Android apps can do this in realtime, because to get the IMEI/device ID (a questionable thing in itself), Google decided you should also be required to have permissions to see who is calling/called.
It's a major privacy violation, with Google directly encouraging it for no good reason.
(Getting device ID should be a very rare, high-security permission; instead each app should get a unique app+deviceID. And seeing who is calling is likewise a rare thing that should be highly suspect. Or Google could add controls or do on-demand like MS and Apple do...)
I can't think of a valid reason why an app should require such permissions besides information gathering.. there are API for making you app talk, or discover other apps
Exactly my thoughts... except this app is exactly in Facebook's wheelhouse. Who else could do this?
When Facebook introduced their phone (well, just their android launcher) a couple of years ago, I thought this kind of feature would be a major selling point.
While I would never use it, I know many many people who would be thrilled for something like this.
I wonder if the WhatsApp acquisition price just got validated.
