Angry Birds Gets Updated Today, Adds 30 New Levels And Wants Access To Your SMS?

by Joe Sirianni
tagged 30 levels, angry birds, new edition, new world, rio, rovio, update, western theme

Today, Rovio Mobile Limited announced that they have released a new additions to Angry Birds, and no, it’s not the anticipated Angry Birds Seasons Valentine edition. It’s a completely different update, adding 30 new levels in a whole new western themed world called “Ham ‘Em High”. There are a few new bonus items and they’ve even added a graphics toggle for lower end devices, eliminating the needs for Angry Birds lite. The only other thing worth noting in this edition is in the permissions. Looks like Rovio wants access to your SMS capabilities. Now, what on earth can that be for? Take a peak for yourself and note the other additions. Only time will tell what Rovio has up their sleeves. Rovio is definitely keeping busy these days as they are also working on the release of their Angry Birds Rio edition. Hit the break for the permissions list and to check out some more screen shots. Don’t forget to head on over to our apps database if you’re an Angry Birds newbie.

This application has access to the following:

• Services that cost you money Send Sms Messages Allows application to send SMS messages. Malicious applications may cost you money by sending messages without your confirmation.

• Your messages Receive Sms Allows application to receive and process SMS messages. Malicious applications may monitor your messages or delete them without showing them to you.
Read Sms Or Mms Allows application to read SMS messages stored on your device or SIM card. Malicious applications may read your confidential messages.

• Network communication Full Internet Access Allows an application to create network sockets.

• Phone calls Read Phone State And Identity Allows the application to access the phone features of the device. An application with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like.

Update: Rovio has stated via their Twitter account that the SMS permissions are a mistake and they will sort it out on Monday.

» See more articles by Joe Sirianni

Categorized as Android Applications

Comments

Dustin

Rovio has said on Twitter that the SMS permissions are a mistake that will be fixed on Monday.
odd

I hate it when applications asks for more permissions on update. It just doesn’t feel honest.
Shrimp Oliver

Angry birds or not, no way in heck am I giving permission to a game to access my sms messages. It’s wrong. Rovio, you are making a grave mistake in asking for this. I hope it comes back to haunt you. I wonder how many odious are going to blindly download this and click through the permissions page without looking?
Kelvin

Sms request –> Uninstalled
Stacy

“A mistake”, Rovio? Yeah, no doubt. But an inadvertent mistake? I call BS on that one.

Sorry, unless there is some pretty serious PR to explain yourself, I no longer trust you. And am recommending same for all my Twitter and Facebook follows.
Draken

They need to remove the apps from Angry Birds.
prowse!

Rovio has lied. NOW, as of yesterday, they are saying that they need SMS for In-app carrier billing (and that is so far only in one country across the Atlantic!). VZW doesnt do it that way (and wont), for Verizon customers, you will be redirected to the MyVZW within the Android Market (as is done currently for things like the V-Cast series). You might receive a purchase accomplishment SMS from VERIZON, but Verizon will not let ANY app do the transactioning outside of the VZW system – that is just not going to happen. THat said, I have NEVER purchased ONE V-Cast or Verizon app. Ever. And I never will. In app purchasing is going to be, for me at least, a game changer. No more games, no more apps, I will just use the Gmail, Google Cal, Phone, Browsing, Wifi. Strictly business. F*** Rovio for lying and wanting to push this s*** on us in this manner.