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  • Mar 26, 2024, 3:32 PM
    @owa I get super annoyed when I get kicked out of an app when I tap on a link. In-app browsers are a good thing. It lets me make a quick choice if that link matters to me or not. Usually, if it's something I care about long term after a quick in-app preview, I'll open it in a browser of my choice. Especially with iOS Handoff, it's a seamless process where I can open that link on the desktop and continue on, if that's something I choose to do.

    It's clear you hate native apps. That's fine. But I do ask that you and the army you're building is not used to take functionality away from a platform I find useful, and take down the entire ecosystem out of spite, simply because they're not web apps. Choice is good.
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Replies

  • Mar 27, 2024, 12:05 AM

    @gabek Thanks for the feedback. Our stance in our paper is that in-app browsers that respect the user's choice of default browser are fine.

    We have added the following text to the article to help clarify this:

    "Remote tab in-app browsers such as Android Custom Tabs are a potentially ideal solution for most users. Android Custom Tabs by default invokes the user's default browser and prevents the app injecting JavaScript."

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  • Mar 27, 2024, 12:05 AM

    @gabek "This is an interesting middle ground where the user (and the app) can benefit from not leaving the app context while still respecting the user's choice of default browser and preserving the user's privacy. However, currently it is possible for the hosting Native App to lock Android Custom Tabs to a particular browser and override the user's choice of default browser. This ability needs to be removed."

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  • Mar 27, 2024, 12:05 AM

    @gabek "While iOS's remote tab in-app browser SFSafariViewController prevents the app injecting JavaScript, it is locked to Safari (or more specifically the WkWebView) and thus overrides the user's choice of default browser."

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  • Mar 27, 2024, 3:30 AM

    @gabek hi Gabe! We don’t hate native apps at all, we just hate native apps the undermine user choice, privacy and the web.

    Remote tab in-app browsers that respect user choice keep the properties you want, but respect user choice and privacy.

    We agree that many users like being able to easily return to the app & without leaving a new tab in their browser, and we’re not looking to change that one iota.

    Please read our regulatory submission, all of the nuance is explained in full!

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