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What PWA Can Do Today

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Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#141

Post by Longhanks »

onion2k wrote: post #67
starfox64_ wrote: post #4

It's kinda sad that the website doesn't prominently display which features have "universal" support across iOS and Android. The whole point of PWAs is to provide cross platforms apps so if a feature isn't available on all/most platforms, I don't think it's fair to say that it's really usable at all in your PWA.

The whole point of PWAs is to provide cross platforms apps so if a feature isn't available on all/most platforms, I don't think it's fair to say that it's really usable at all in your PWA. You should be delivering the best possible experience for the user based on what their device can do, not the lowest common denominator of some arbitrary set of features. Progressive enhancement, API detection, and polyfilling are…

> You should be delivering the best possible experience for the user based on what their device can do, not the lowest common denominator of some arbitrary set of features.

So the exact opposite of PWAs.

Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#142

Post by bodantogat »

kccqzy wrote: post #90
bodantogat wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On IOS, I can't install a PWA/add to home screen with a simple click. I think thats the bigger obstacle.

You can't install an app from the App Store with a single click.

Perhaps I should have chosen my words more carefully. The obstacle is that its not intuitive that you can install/save this PWA to my home screen via the Share Button. Someone is going to have to tell you the first time. If you open the original link on an iPhone, and click the "Install to Home Screen" button, it'll show you a popup with screenshots and instructions. The user will have to be somewhat determined to install the PWA.

As opposed to an obvious button that says click me to install/download. (The usual Get it on the Appstore buttons), or Smart Banners[1]. The banner/button makes it crystal clear that I can click it to install the app. (Yes, you are correct you may need additional clicks to actually install, but by that time, you are in a familiar workflow).

1. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/webkit/promoting_a...

Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#145

Post by mcculley »

This page was the first time I had heard of the Contact Picker API. I tried to select the text to google it and this page has somehow disabled select/copy/paste of text. This is an ironic way to show that the web is just as capable/incapable as native apps.

Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#146

Post by ubercore »

bob1029 wrote: post #129
k__ wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried zxing too. Scanning 2D barcodes only works reliable on smartphones with good camera and with good lighting. I needed it for a ticket scanner used on an old phone at night entries for concerts. Went and bought a hardware scanner (for 30€ or something) that connects itself as a "Bluetooth keyboard". Works like a charm.

> Scanning 2D barcodes only works reliable on smartphones We wont even fully certify iPhones for use with this solution because we have seen consistent failure to autofocus on the barcode for "some weird reason". iPads work like magic though. I have to go out of my way to not get a quick scan on recent generation iPad camera. We went down the hardware scanning path w/ keyboard emulation in the browser, but its kind o…

We've also not had the best luck with keyboard emulation scanners, but unless you want to add a native wrapper, there aren't a ton of good options.

Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#147

Post by andreyvit »

comex wrote: post #113

How typical of PWAs that even a demonstration site, which should demonstrate the best that PWAs can be, has a glaring UX bug on iOS. Namely: if you swipe from the sides of the screen to go back/forward, you get a duplicate animation. If you swipe back from B to A, once the native (interactive) slide animation finishes, the page then jumps back to B and then does another (noninteractive) slide animation to A. Fixing t…

Yes! And the visuals are horrific too, just look at that tabbar. If anything, it’s a showcase of just how hard it’s gonna be to build a good app this way.

Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#148

Post by NoZebra120vClip »

ChadNauseam wrote: post #133
CharlesW wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> By far the thing that prevented PWAs from bigger uptake earlier was Apple dragging their feet on push notifications support on iOS. Is there any evidence that this moved the PWA needle at all, he said hopefully? I would've predicted no effect on PWA adoption. > …last I checked the "install to home screen" on iOS Safari was still a horrible user experience (the actions is hidden under the "share" menu, which makes n…

Android allows the site to prompt the user to add it to their home screen, which it can do at a time when it makes sense. e.g. the user orders something, then the "add to home screen" pop-up appears and the user can accept with one tap, which they're likely to want to do because they anticipate wanting to check their order status.

This doesn't work for me. (Android 11, Motorola phone.)

If I add a PWA or shortcut to my Home Screen, it will quite quickly disappear silently. Especially if I use Chrome to do it. The Support community is at a loss to explain this and they're starting to send me nonsensical instructions, showing they are desperate to get rid of my embarrassing question.

Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#149

Post by zamadatix »

tgv wrote: post #134
postalrat wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple wants to keep in control with the app store. PWAs threaten that control. So much so apple doesn't allow other browsers.

While Google wants as much access to your phone as it can get. Why would that be?

What access does Google gain here?

Re: What PWA Can Do Today

#150

Post by jon-wood »

ChadNauseam wrote: post #133
CharlesW wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> By far the thing that prevented PWAs from bigger uptake earlier was Apple dragging their feet on push notifications support on iOS. Is there any evidence that this moved the PWA needle at all, he said hopefully? I would've predicted no effect on PWA adoption. > …last I checked the "install to home screen" on iOS Safari was still a horrible user experience (the actions is hidden under the "share" menu, which makes n…

Android allows the site to prompt the user to add it to their home screen, which it can do at a time when it makes sense. e.g. the user orders something, then the "add to home screen" pop-up appears and the user can accept with one tap, which they're likely to want to do because they anticipate wanting to check their order status.

Sadly this is caught up in the usual conflict of interests. As someone building a PWA I would love a quick and easy method to pop up an install dialogue for the user. Unfortunately as a user of Safari on iOS the last thing I want is for every single website I interact with to be popping install dialogues, and you just know that's going to be as prolific as the current bombardment of requests to subscribe to mailing lists, and on desktop enable push notifications the moment a web page is opened.
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