Is android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE a must when using Unity?

We're working on it. I can't promise a specific ETA, but I would expect it to be fixed within the next month or two.

Any update on this?

Looks like this will be landing at the end of February. The validation tool will remove the requirement in the next few days, so you may be able to manually remove READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE from your AndroidManifest.xml in the next week or so.

vrdaveb said:

Looks like this will be landing at the end of February. The validation tool will remove the requirement in the next few days, so you may be able to manually remove READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE from your AndroidManifest.xml in the next week or so.

Hello there!
Is a new version of the Unity utilities coming up? We are finished with our app and just wait to remove this obsolete permission :smile: If it takes some more weeks we will just publish our app with the permission in it.

Any update on this?

imperativity said:

@Flo13

We are still working on this.

@coeing 

 Unity 5.3.8,
5.4.5, and 5.5.2p3 do not set the permission and we are working with the store
ingestion team to get the requirement removed. Is it still rejecting apps
without the permission?

We were using a version which added the permission, so we have no problem with the submission. We just want to remove it when it's possible :smile:

Reading over this thread - where exactly in the submission process is it blocking those of you excluding the external write permission (via Write Permission = Internal in Unity 5.3,8)?   Is it stopping you on upload to a build channel using oculus platform util, or is this happening later after you submit to Oculus for review?

@drash It didn't block my submission. I just wanted to get rid of it because I don't access user files in any of my apps and it doesn't make sense to ask for that permission.

For me it's the same situation as what @Flo13 wrote.

Any updates regarding this issue? I am also getting this permission in my app, which I really don't require.