Incoming call broadcast receiver not working (Android 4.1) they said that as of android 4.1 the system no longer sends broadcasts to app components without an activity...is this true?
That has been the case since Android 3.1. Something must explicitly run one of your components before your manifest-registered BroadcastReceivers
will work, and the typical solution for this is to have an activity (the same one that provides app configuration, help, license agreements, etc.) that the user launches.
Please read the Android 3.1 release notes for more.