You seem to mean "negligible", which is a different meaning than "irrelevant"; the point that was being made is that even if it were a "negligible" amount, the crime is not "victimless", hence the amount of the theft is "irrelevant": the point you seem to be making is that it might be a non-"negligible" amount, which is probably true, but at this point in the thread unrelated, and in fact according to the post you are responding to, "irrelevant" ;P.
I agree, its theft. If I borrow your bicycle all the time without you knowing it may be innocent enough, but it still causes wear and tear on the bicycle. I am thieving bicycle time from you that you paid for. If I had simply asked for it, you couldn't blame me, but alas I took it without your consent.
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Do either of these apps explicitly state that they will access/use device in this way?
Someone cuts down trees from land they don't own to haul them away for lumber? That's clear theft to me.
Removing furniture that you don't own from a cohabited dwelling and storing it without telling the owner the location? That's clear theft to me.
Someone finds lost goods that they then keep for themselves without attempting to return them to the rightful owner? I can see that being something other than theft.
Not if it actually damage some parts of the phone like the battery because you have to charge it more often.