Allows read only access to phone state, including the phone number of the device, current cellular network information, the status of any ongoing calls, and a list of any PhoneAccounts registered on the device.
It's not for AsyncStorage as it uses a SQLite DB under the hood, which doesn't require any permission. Even if it used another method of storage like SharedPreferences or the internal storage to store files, it shouldn't require any permission (See Storage Options).
So unless you want to explicitely access the external storage - which isn't used by default - you won't need it.
Draw over other apps
Allows an app to create windows using the type TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY, shown on top of all other apps.
Basically this permission is needed in debug mode to show the error redbox error.
Remove the permissions
You need to be able to toggle the SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission (draw over other apps) so that it is used in debug but not in release.
If you've never built your Android app before (e.g. newcomer or after destroying your project) you'll get errors like
[15:56:40]: ▸ Element uses-permission#android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW at AndroidManifest.xml:12:5-130 duplicated with element declared at AndroidManifest.xml:8:5-77
[15:56:40]: ▸ /Users/louiszawadzki/soge/deploy/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:9:5-95 Warning:
[15:56:40]: ▸ uses-permission#android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE was tagged at AndroidManifest.xml:9 to remove other declarations but no other declaration present
[15:56:40]: ▸ /Users/louiszawadzki/soge/deploy/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:10:5-100 Warning:
[15:56:40]: ▸ uses-permission#android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE was tagged at AndroidManifest.xml:10 to remove other declarations but no other declaration present
[15:56:40]: ▸ /Users/louiszawadzki/soge/deploy/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:11:5-101 Warning:
[15:56:40]: ▸ uses-permission#android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE was tagged at AndroidManifest.xml:11 to remove other declarations but no other declaration present
[15:56:40]: ▸ /Users/louiszawadzki/soge/deploy/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:12:5-130 Warning:
[15:56:40]: ▸ uses-permission#android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW@tools:true was tagged at AndroidManifest.xml:12 to remove other declarations but no other declaration present
To fix it you have to remove the lines you've added in the Manifest i.e.: