The new Google Play Developer Program Policies state that it is no longer allowed to publish web browsers that are based on WebView:
Do not post an app where the primary functionality is to:
Provide a webview of a website not owned or administered by you
(unless you have permission from the website owner/administrator to do
so)
I was thinking of developing a WebView-based web browser but now I see that this is no longer allowed.
Frankly, I find it insane to ask every website in existence for permission to display its content via a WebView based browser.
What are my options? Is there an alternative web kit that is as powerful as WebView?
It doesn't say you're not allowed to make a browser.
It says, that you're not allowed to make an app which merely is a WebView showing a website you do not own, and don't have permission from the owners to make.
That is, I am not allowed to make a GMail app, which merely is a WebView showing the GMail mobile website.
One reason could be, that such an app provides nothing that a bookmark wouldn't. Another reason could be, that such an app may seem to the end user to be affiliated with the website it's embedding. If the app then added adverts, crashed or provided some kind of negative user experience, this could reflect poorly on the website being embedded.
You totally missed the point, if you are making app that displays some site that you don't own then some users of that site will use your app instead of simple browsing to get information from that site.
Let's say that site has 3 pages
-> 2. -> 3.
If you are showing page #3 from your app then users will not see ads from page 1. and 2. Which means that you are stealing that site's money.
And that's why you need permission from site owner.
Related
We have several landing pages that link to Google Play and iOS App Store. I would love to know the landing page that a person came from within the app code. I have searched around and can't find any clear answer. Lots of gray area.
I just want to access the landing page URL in Java or Swift.
I realize iOS and Android are two separate beasts. But does anyone know how I could achieve this?
You will need to use Firebase Dynamic Links this helps you create various links using various alternatives as shown in this quote from the official Firebase source:
You create a Dynamic Link either by using the Firebase console, using a REST API, iOS or Android Builder API, or by forming a URL by adding Dynamic Link parameters to a domain specific to your app.
Then your app can access the link in code using Java or Swift and the link will work even if the user has your app already in their phone and you can set a logic to handle that too and the links are also automatically direct the user to AppStore or PlayStore depending on which device is used.
Dont worry about whether the link will work for both Android and iOS and you can use the api to access the link as this quote says.
With Dynamic Links, your users get the best available experience for the platform they open your link on. If a user opens a Dynamic Link on iOS or Android, they can be taken directly to the linked content in your native app. If a user opens the same Dynamic Link in a desktop browser, they can be taken to the equivalent content on your website.
In addition, Dynamic Links work across app installs: if a user opens a Dynamic Link on iOS or Android and doesn't have your app installed, the user can be prompted to install it; then, after installation, your app starts and can access the link.
You can get more information on dynamic links here and check if it will solve your problem.
Can anyone explain in real life example what is the difference between
App Links - https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/deep-linking.html
Deep links - https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/index.html
App Indexing - https://developer.android.com/studio/write/app-link-indexing.html
in Android?
Have read too many posts and documentations, but still cannot get the exact gist.
I understand that App links works with Android 6.0 and Deep Links with 4.2. but in performance, they are doing the similar task.
App Indexing allows Google to crawl your app content (as it would on a website).
Deep Links vs Android App Links:
App Links are just deep links that have been verified for a website, AND allows opening URLs in the associated app directly without asking the user to select the app (via the disambiguation dialog). With App Links, your app designates itself as the default handler of a given type of link (though the user can override it from device system settings)
A nice overview of the differences is at https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/verify-site-associations?authuser=0
Also see comparison table below, lifted from the above link at the time of writing
If you have an app or are developing an app, app indexation and deep
linking are things you definitely need to be paying attention to.
Basically, Google wants to treat your app like a website. It wants to
crawl it and index it so that search results can return specific pages
from an app in mobile searches. That ability to return specific pages
within an app? That’s deep linking.
What is Deep Linking?
Deep linking, in a general sense, involves linking to specific content
within a website or app, rather than to the homepage. Here we’re
talking in particular about getting specific elements of an app to
show up in search results on a mobile device, allowing users to open
an app directly from a search results page. Note: Users will only see
this prompt if they have the particular app installed.
Photo:
What Is App Indexing?
App indexing is the result of getting your app in Google’s index to
enable deep linking. By allowing Google to index pages within your
app, features (or promotions) within the app can begin showing up in
users’ mobile searches, driving visits (and hopefully conversions) to
the app.
What is an App Linking with the example of Facebook
When someone shares content from within an app that has Facebook App
Links applied, anyone clicking on that link will be able to access
that content through the app. This can be done using an app
alternative to existing web content, or app-only content, and works
either from ‘web to app’ or ‘app to app’. The feature works with
Android, iOS and Windows phones
Photo:
I have an android application say Sample App. I want to add App Links according to Android Developer Guide. I was successful in implementing them, but there was an problem with Chrome. When I access the corresponding Sample Web App and there is <a> tag with href="https://www.sample.com/profile" and it's also supported by App, it opens in app instead of continuing in Chrome.
I checked documentation and it is supposed to be default behavior of Chrome. But then I came across Linkedin app. The My Network tab they have when clicked in browser continues in browser but same link if I save to docs or any other application and click it then it opens in native app.
I want to know how this is done?
I believe this is because, as you said, the standard deep linking behavior is to route to the app if it is installed. This behavior is handed-off immediately when the link is clicked because your app overriders that url to be handled by app instead of Chrome.
First, I believe that you should route users to your application because its a better, more engaging experience, presumably.
If you are convinced, then I would change your manifest to strictly handle links that you want to handle. See this post to see how to handle only certain links.
I have a number of Drupal 7 websites (http://drupal.org) that have a mobile theme with JQuery mobile (http://jquerymobile.com/) for users browsing with smart phones or tablets. Although this provides a great mobile experience I would like to create an app for the Android and Iphone that uses a few built in features for content creation (mainly just the camera on node creation). I have eclipse and the android emulators all installed and have an installation of Phonegap working for Android testing. Here is where I need some advice on the best approach to my particular problem.
Basically each app can be almost entirely just a webview (easy), but I do need 2 features which should add enough uniqueness to make it able to get approved in the MAC app store.
Ability to add nodes using a REST service (along with phonegap) have access to the use phone’s camera to populate an image field.
A start or front-page has a fast login, and allows instant access to add content (all assets stored locally on phone, so even if the phone is offline, this page will still come up).
Ability to go from the regular mobile site (webview) back to the local node creation page (with access to the camera) or frontage.
Ability to pass something to the webview so I can hide content creation links that access the web version of node creation forms (which would not have the camera for example).
Here is where I’m confused. I don’t want to recreate the entire site and retrieve all the data using services (lots of tutorials and stuff I’ve seen are doing this including DrupalGap - http://drupal.org/project/drupalgap). That seems like a ton of redundant work that will require lots of continuous updates when the site is upgraded and changed with no real gain other than speed (For this it’s ok that it won’t be as fast).
For my mobile apps, when a user wants to view their profile, look at various pages etc, that should all happen in a webview, I only need services and the typical approach to mobile development for the front page, authentication and node creation. The rest should happen in a webview. So what is the best way to switch between adding nodes and authentication using a service and just going to a regular webview? Should I try embedding a webview in a page and having a small menu on the top that doesn’t’ change which links to the add content and login?
How do I setup the session for both the webview content and the service? Or how I can I force authentication through REST and then pass that on to the webview?
You don’t have to answer each one of those directly, I would just like some tips to get me started in the right direction. So far I’m thinking I create a “frontpage” for the app with all it’s assets stored locally on the phone, which has a login which authenticates through a web service (REST). After you login it shows the link to add nodes and a link to view the webview. The big question is how I use the same session for both and how to navigate between the 2 well?
I accomplished the goals stated above, by have the login use a REST service via jquery mobile in a regular html page (like this tutorial http://tylerfrankenstein.com/code/android-app-with-drupal-7-services-phonegap-and-jquery-mobile) this is also where the create content links can be placed. When you want the user to be able to open the "regular" mobile website and already be logged in, use the childbrowser phonegap plugin (https://build.phonegap.com/docs/plugins). Users can close the childbrowser and go back to the main dashboard by clicking the X, or you can create a listener that responds to them vising a specific URL (like the homepage).
I've developed a web-based mobile application using Jquery Mobile and HTML5. Now, can I create an iPhone Application that has only a browser inside that runs the my application ? so that when the use clicks on the Application icon, it redirects him to the URL of my application. Can I do that with Android Market as well ?
If not allowed, what's the best way to make access to the web-based app easy ?
As per App Store Review Guidelines
There is a chance that your application may get rejected e.g.
2. Functionality
2.12
Apps that are not very useful, are simply web sites bundled as apps, or do not provide any lasting entertainment value may be rejected
12. Scraping and aggregation
12.3
Apps that are simply web clippings, content aggregators, or a collection of links, may be rejected
If it is a useful app (worth having in a mobile device) it won't get rejected.
Don't have your corporate website's mobile version as an app. But you can go for something like this http://itunes.apple.com/lk/app/south-wales-fire-crime-unit/id459417012?mt=8
Follow apple's UI standards
You can load your web page inside a UIWebView. You can do this either by over the internet or having the files inside the app bundle.