I recently tried Android again on Pixel 3 and effectively I have to find a way to send a file to an app without the storage permission. Is that an app-specific thing? I have yet to find an app that doesn’t do that. I understand the issues with the older versions that required install-time permission grant and this is not that issue.
Android still allowed an workaround for older apps, as the old OS behavior will be done for apps that still target older versions.
This is no longer allowed for new apps since January, as the minimum allowed version to be targeted is Oreo (8.1).
Regarding the storage, with Oreo as minimum version, the changes introduced in Nougat will be enforced, just like with UWP and iOS, only indirect access is allowed (SAF).