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“It works better in the app”

shkspr.mobi

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Re: “It works better in the app”

#231

Post by xboxnolifes »

azuanrb wrote: post #136
_fat_santa wrote: post #105

This is a constant argument i have with by business partner. He's always asking me "when are we making an app for our " and I always reply back: "We already have an app! It's just a PWA" PWA's are freaking awesome for both users and developers. Users don't have to install a massive app and me as a developer can focus on making one platform better rather than 3. And they are pretty freaking powerful in what you can do…

Imo, you already lost the argument when you have to explain that PWA is the "app". For most users, app is something they install from App Store or Google Play. I get the point of view from developers point of view, but unless the majority of the users are technical people, there's no reason to use PWA these days.

Idk if its not in their best interest or something, but app stores should just allow installing an "app", which is really just a bookmark to website and hides all of the normal browser UI without having to bundle the entire browser with the app.

Re: “It works better in the app”

#234

Post by pj_mukh »

princevegeta89 wrote: post #220
pj_mukh wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The flip side is: I have an Audioguide app with reams of fancy of AI features. Even a basic non-AI one is we use GPS in the background to auto-trigger when you approach certain checkpoints on your tour, and we don't want you staring or constantly manually fiddling with the phone when you're on a tour in a neighborhood. This is all stuff just not possible with the web app I get it, "I'm just traveling, why do I need t…

The issue is that people often forget to uninstall these apps almost all the time. Apps like Delta, Southwest etc. are the perfect candidate for this. We require something similar to ephemeral apps that exist only for a limited period and automatically get deleted later. If the OS could provide such a feature by default, it would be a blessing. However, this again contradicts the commercial interests of many companie…

Appclips in iOS are a decent shot at that. But require it to be under 15MB, which is really hard to hit, especially if you use RN, but we'll be dumping RN to make this happen as a next step.

>>The issue is that people often forget to uninstall these apps almost all the time

Fundamentally though, iOS will auto-offload the unused apps for you (you won't get any notifications). For all intents and purposes, it is an ephemeral app already.

Re: “It works better in the app”

#235

Post by Intermernet »

I recently had a perfect storm of non-friendly technology.

I made one purchase on Amazon while connected to a VPN.

Amazon froze my account and demanded proof of identity.

Amazon don't accept an existing photo of primary ID for their preferred ID verification check, it must be a photo taken by a camera on-device, and I don't have a webcam on my desktop PC. Once you select the secondary method, it seems you can't go back to the primary.

My bank can't issue a statement on the mobile app.

My bank, even through the website, can't issue a statement that has the required details (name, credit card details - blanked except for last four digits, and transactions) that includes pending transactions.

I had to manually request a statement from my bank (via a phone call) that included the pending transaction, edit it in an image editing app, submit it to Amazon via their web-site.

None of the apps (bank, Amazon, government ID, camera) had the flexibility to solve the problem.

The root cause was using a VPN to make an online purchase of a $12 piece of hobby electronics.

Not only are apps broken, the current state of the internet (and the random ways companies try to enforce "security") is also broken.

Re: “It works better in the app”

#236

Post by vel0city »

jknoepfler wrote: post #175
gtufano wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The actual reality is that it's impossible to have people go to a web site from a physical ad/offer/thing without using a QR (or paying Google). Google (and friends) managed to hide the URL almost totally, people don't even know that you can go somewhere without searching on google. So the options are: paying google to have your name point to you (an expensive choice depending on the actual name) or use a QR. Weirdly…

Did domain names stop functioning all of the sudden? Going to somedipshitsbar.com/menu is about as complicated as entering a wifi password at a coffee shop.

Its like two taps on my phone to scan a QR code where as typing that is probably going to take me 26+ taps.

And I usually prefer to just scan a QR code to get the wifi details. Once again, its far fewer taps.

If you could do something with just two clicks or do something with 26 clicks, which path would you normally take?

Re: “It works better in the app”

#237

Post by inigyou »

avidiax wrote: post #188
dpb001 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m living in peak appification at my gym. It’s one of those 24x7 places and an app is required to unlock the door. I find it amusing that part of the installation process requires me to deny always-on location sharing - why would I need the app to know my location when I’m not at the door?

> amusing You should find it insulting that they are likely selling that location data, not even to the highest bidder, but to a data broker that resells that data to anyone that will buy it for any price they'll pay.

Yes, this is standard practice in the app industry. I guarantee every app outside of f-droid that has location access is tracking you 24/7 and selling the log.

Re: “It works better in the app”

#238

Post by GJim »

tescreal wrote: post #193

If the barrier to entry is "own a smartphone", there will inevitably be people who will be excluded. Lots of fantastic reasons to unplug in 2026, year of our plague. Even if you don't go so far, conservative allowances for data collection are one of the few digital freedoms left.

Puzzling to see your factual comment downvoted.

I myself do not have a personal smartphone (and my work smartphone is powered off the moment the clock says 5pm).

Frankly, my life is better for it.

Re: “It works better in the app”

#239

Post by mrec »

inigyou wrote: post #223
mrec wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On desktop web it's mostly fine, as long as you stick to the "Following" view rather than "For you".

Who are you following that's so important?

A small assortment of people that I found interesting/insightful/amusing at some point, plus a few local orgs occasionally announcing things. Why does anything need to be "so important"?

Re: “It works better in the app”

#240

Post by olyjohn »

Whatarethese wrote: post #224
m463 wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't buy a tesla without the app. Worse, to sell a tesla, you are the person saying "ok, install the app, then I can transfer ownership to you, conveniently!" and this is getting normalized with other car manufacturers. (and it ALL goes back to apple... who started the whole app nonsense, and promoted a look-and-feel that gave tesla a terrible tap and swipe iphone/ipad type ui in a moving car)

You can absolutely buy a Tesla and operate it for the life of the vehicle without an app or even a smartphone. They have key fobs and keycards for this purpose. Go into the store or order online. Everything can be handled by the Tesla store if you are selling the car and need to transfer it to another person.

Excuse me? Why does Tesla need to be involved at all? Take the title to the DMV and transfer it.
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