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Q&A Android Version changes

Jul 15, 20254 min read

Here are 12 well-crafted interview questions and answers related to Android version changes (Android 11–15), especially useful for a senior Android developer role. These cover areas like permissions, background restrictions, media access, file APIs, and behavior changes.

✅ 1. What is the major permission change introduced in Android 13 for notifications?

Answer:
Starting from Android 13 (API 33), apps must request POST_NOTIFICATIONS runtime permission to show notifications. This affects both foreground and background notification behavior.
If not granted, even startForegroundService() won’t show notifications, potentially leading to ANR. n

✅ 2. How has photo and video access changed in Android 14?

Answer:
Android 14 introduces Granular Media Permissions:

  • READ_MEDIA_IMAGES

  • READ_MEDIA_VIDEO

  • READ_MEDIA_AUDIO

These replace READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE for media file access.
Apps targeting Android 14 must request the specific media type instead of general storage access.

✅ 3. What was the change in file access introduced in Android 10 (Q)?

Answer:
Android 10 introduced Scoped Storage, which:

  • Prevents unrestricted file access on external storage.

  • Restricts apps to their own sandboxed directories.

  • Requires using MediaStore API or Storage Access Framework for shared media.

Legacy access can be temporarily retained using requestLegacyExternalStorage=true in the manifest (deprecated from Android 11).

✅ 4. How does Android 11 further restrict file access compared to Android 10?

Answer:
Android 11 removes requestLegacyExternalStorage. Apps can no longer access Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() freely.
Only these options remain:

  • Use MediaStore for media files.

  • Use MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission (restricted to file managers).

  • Use the Storage Access Framework for user-selected files.

✅ 5. What is MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE and when should it be used?

Answer:
It grants broad access to shared storage, bypassing Scoped Storage.
Use it only if your app truly needs full file access, like:

  • File managers

  • Antivirus apps

  • Data backup tools

Must be declared with MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission and approved through Google Play’s permission declaration form.

✅ 6. How has background location access changed in Android 11?

Answer:
Android 11 enforces a two-step permission request:

  1. First ask for foreground location (ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION or ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION)

  2. Then direct users to settings to enable ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION

Also, you can’t show the background request dialog in the same flow — must use a separate intent.

✅ 7. What restrictions were added in Android 12 for foreground services?

Answer:
Android 12 introduces the ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException:

  • You cannot start foreground services from the background unless you’re in a special exemption (e.g. camera/mic, phone call, location).

  • You must use WorkManager or JobScheduler for background tasks.

You can defer the start using ForegroundServiceStartType in WorkManager.

✅ 8. How has PendingIntent behavior changed in Android 12?

Answer:
PendingIntents must now explicitly declare mutability:

  • FLAG_IMMUTABLE — cannot be changed once created

  • FLAG_MUTABLE — needed for use cases like RemoteInput

Failure to set one of them will result in a RuntimeException.

✅ 9. What are the notification trampolines restrictions introduced in Android 12?

Answer:
Android 12 blocks launching activities from broadcast receivers or services triggered by notifications (i.e., notification trampolines).

Now, clicking a notification must launch the activity directly from the PendingIntent, not through a background intermediary.

✅ 10. What is the behavior change for exact alarms in Android 13+?

Answer:
Apps targeting Android 13+ need user permission to schedule exact alarms using AlarmManager.setExact() or setExactAndAllowWhileIdle():

  • Use SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM permission

  • Only time-sensitive apps (e.g. alarms, calendars) should use it

✅ 11. How does Android 13 handle clipboard privacy?

Answer:
Android 13 automatically clears clipboard content after a short period if:

  • The clipboard contains sensitive data (like passwords)

  • The data isn’t accessed by any app

Apps can opt-out of auto-clearing via ClipboardManager.addOnPrimaryClipChangedListener.

✅ 12. What new restrictions are applied to startActivity() from the background in Android 10+?

Answer:
Starting from Android 10:

  • Apps cannot launch activities from background (e.g., from a service or broadcast receiver) unless:

    • The app is in foreground

    • The launch is triggered by a user action

    • It’s part of system UI interaction (e.g., incoming call, alarm)

To bypass, use ActivityResultContracts or schedule a notification.

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