[hehheh]

Android pre-M had a permission system, it's just that the permissions had to be granted by the user when the app was installed (or updated, if there was a change). Many or most users didn't read the warnings or didn't care. I'd wager most users don't read the new permission dialogs, either, but what're ya gonna do.

[mehrdada]

It had a "permission system" that in effect did not provide the user with any practical choice. The non-choice was between "install this app and give everything it wants (even in the background)" and "piss off".

[ClassyJacket]

I did include that in my comment. The "system" was the list of things the app got access to if you installed it. And that's it. You couldn't grant or not grant permissions, it was just a warning of what was going to happen either way if you installed it. And essential apps like Facebook would ask for absurd permissions like phone.

The only choice you had was "install the app anyway" or "don't install".