Syncthing Android App Discontinued

I'm a big fan of Syncthing, and use it on Android as well as pc. But it seems they are relying MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission and I can't see a good reason for Google to go on permitting that in 2024. It gives an app too much power.

Android has had scoped storage for a decade now. Time to get with the program and start using the SAF.

It does feel very odd to be actually agreeing with the Goog on something...

An app that's supposed to sync your files having access to your files is "too much power" now?

It's hard to fathom just how much damage smartphones have done to personal computing, but statements like these are a grim reminder.

> An app that's supposed to sync your files having access to your files is "too much power" now?

An app that syncs your files just needs access to those file, not the entire filesystem - which is what MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE gives it. Scoped storage and the SAF would allow syncthing to do exactly what it needs to do. The problem is that the app maintainer is unwilling to do the work to bring this app into the modern era.

> It's hard to fathom just how much damage smartphones have done to personal computing, but statements like these are a grim reminder.

Grim? Really? Personal devices containing highly personal information, coupled to a virtually friction-free global app marketplace, need on-device and supply-chain protections. As an Android dev I can find plenty to be critical of when it comes to Google's api designs and app review criteria. But in this case I agree with them.