Tabs API is usable without tabs permission.

chrome/common/extensions/extension_unittest.cc

 // Copyright (c) 2012 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
 #include "chrome/common/extensions/extension.h"
 
 #include "base/format_macros.h"
 #include "base/file_path.h"
 #include "base/file_util.h"
 #include "base/json/json_file_value_serializer.h"
@@ skipping 531 matching lines @@
     { "devtools",       true },
     { "extension",      true },
     { "i18n",           true },
     { "pageAction",     true },
     { "pageActions",    true },
     { "test",           true },
     // Some negative tests.
     { "bookmarks",      false },
     { "cookies",        false },
     { "history",        false },
-    { "tabs.onUpdated", false },
     // Make sure we find the module name after stripping '.' and '/'.
     { "browserAction/abcd/onClick",  true },
     { "browserAction.abcd.onClick",  true },
     // Test Tabs functions.
     { "tabs.create",      true},
     { "tabs.onRemoved",   true},
     { "tabs.remove",      true},
     { "tabs.update",      true},
-    { "tabs.getSelected", false},
+    { "tabs.getSelected", true},
+    { "tabs.onUpdated",   true },
     // Test getPermissionWarnings functions. Only one requires permissions.
     { "management.getPermissionWarningsById", false },
     { "management.getPermissionWarningsByManifest", true },
   };
 
   scoped_refptr<Extension> extension;
   extension = LoadManifest("empty_manifest", "empty.json");
 
   for (size_t i = 0; i < ARRAYSIZE_UNSAFE(kTests); ++i) {
     EXPECT_EQ(kTests[i].expect_success,
@@ skipping 539 matching lines @@
 }
 
 TEST(ExtensionTest, GetSyncTypeExtensionWithTwoPlugins) {
   scoped_refptr<Extension> extension(
       MakeSyncTestExtension(EXTENSION, GURL(), GURL(),
                             Extension::INTERNAL, 2, FilePath()));
   if (extension)
     EXPECT_EQ(extension->GetSyncType(), Extension::SYNC_TYPE_NONE);
 }
 #endif // !defined(OS_CHROMEOS)