Flyhomes for iOS: Restricting Microphone access doesn't seem to work

Flyhomes app for iOS (version 2.1.7)
Date: 06/16/2019

Description:

I found an interesting problem with the Flyhomes app for iOS. When using the Flyhomes app for a first time, a permissions message will appear.

This permissions message looks like this:

As you can see in this permissions message, it states that "Flyhomes would like to use your speech recognition to autocomplete fields."

Selecting "Don't Allow" to this message doesn't seem to do anything. I've read through this, and it sure seems to imply that if I select "Don't Allow" you are supposed to through up a request about how i've denied access.

Why isn't there an error message? Should you be showing this microphone prompt at all? I've seen other apps that just grant microphone access, without a prompt, after the user presses the button on the keyboard. Flyhomes is the first app i've seen that gives me such a prompt, then disregards my "Don't Allow" selection. This is confusing!

I understand that I could not really be understanding the specifics of using dictation, via the microphone, on the iOS keyboard. I've also seen more than one problem with permissions and the iOS device that left me extremely confused - and i've searched the internet to see people have also been confused.

I've never seen this particular problem before.

This could be:

• A specific problem with a permissions dialog in the Flyhomes app (possible)
• Me not understanding permissions with the iOS device (possible)
• A very poorly worded permissions message in the Flyhomes app (less likely)
• An incorrectly places and/or unnecessary prompt in the Flyhomes app (most likely)
• A problem with the iOS (least possible)

This one is much harder to describe, than it is to show, so please take a look at the following video...

.@RealFlyhomes .@Mrs_Willhite .@stephenmwald .@realstephenlane

I’ve never seen this in an iOS. You throw a permissions prompt at press of mic on keyboard. You ask permission to autocomplete. Selecting “Don’t Allow” doesn’t work. Why do you even show this permissions prompt? pic.twitter.com/wCFxTFnfpm

— iPad Mini Bugs (@iPad_App_Bugs) June 16, 2019

In the video, dictation is allowed on the iOS device, while "Siri and Search" is disabled. You then launch the app for the first time, and are presented with the prompt. The prompt specifically says that you are requesting to use speech recognition to autocomplete fields!

Steps to Reproduce.

1. On either an iPhone or an iPad Mini, download the RealFlyhomes app for iOS
2. Before launching the app - make sure dictation is enabled on the keyboard
3. Launch the app - decline location and notifications
4. Click inside the search box
5. Press the microphone on the keyboard
6. Select "Don't Allow" for microphone access
7. Exit out and look at the Flyhomes area in the Settings section of the iPhone device
8. Note that "Speech Recognition" is OFF
9. Enter back into the app, press the microphone on the keyboard, say a term, and watch the text box autocomplete

Result: The "Don't Allow" option of the Microphone Permissions dialog box doesn't seem to work - even after declining Speech Recognition" permission, the app still uses it for subsequent searches

Expected: I don't think you should even be showing this message at this point - you certainly shouldn't be disregarding a "Don't Allow" response from the user...

Download the app fresh onto an iOS device...

Select "Don't Allow" from this prompt. My expectation is that the app will NOT use speech recognition to autocomplete fields....

Exit out of the app. In Settings, the fact that "Speech Recognition" is prohibited is clearly displayed.

Select the microphone prompt (why does it appear if I selected "Don't Allow" from the prompt?) and then say a term like "Seattle Washington"....

After I said a term, it uses speech recognition to autocomplete the form. I SPECIFICALLY denied this permission in the dialog!!!