Permission to read another app's data?

Question

Hi

Is there a permission to allow one app to read the (private) data/data//files/... files of another application? If not, how do backup programs like MyBackup work?

C

Answer 1

Is there a permission to allow one app to read the (private) data/data//files/... files of another application?

No.

If not, how do backup programs like MyBackup work?

They backup and restore only things with public APIs. That includes some data from the operating system and some things from applications specifically integrated with them.

Answer 2

On a side-note, in the unlikely event that you're the one who's writing both applications, you can make them share the same sandbox by signing them the same way.