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I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

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Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#31

Post by cheeaun »

itp wrote: post #7

Wow. I'm a long time Android user and probably pay more attention than most, and I had no idea web apps had gotten quite this nice. Currently the only web app / web shortcut I have installed is the HackerWeb app[0], which is nice but clearly not taking advantage of all of the functionality it could. I "installed" Flipkart Lite and the Voice Memos demo app to see the state of the world. Clearly it's possible to build…

Hi! Creator of HackerWeb here, just wondering what kind of additional functionality that you're expecting?

Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#32

Post by untog »

aembleton wrote: post #30
untog wrote: post #24

I agree with pretty much everything in this article - I firmly believe that we're due a "post-app" world where progressively enhanced web sites provide 95% of the functionality we require. But we're not there yet - I'd love to see better WebView integration into native UI components (UINavigationController and the like), to provide things like swipe-to-go-back, which is monumentally hard to do on the web. But hey. Ma…

I just tried the https://www.pokedex.org/ site on Chrome for Android, and I could add it to my home screen, but that doesn't add it to my app drawer. That is annoying, I don't want it on my home screen but it seems to be the only way to turn it into a 'native app'. I don't think Progressive Web Apps are ready for the mainstream, but I'm hopeful that in the next few years we can get there.

Interesting, I see the same thing, though it hadn't occurred to me. Seems easily fixable, though I agree that we're not there yet.

However, I have uninstalled the Facebook app from my phone, and now receive push notifications from the mobile website, which I have on my home screen. It's a fantastic experience.

Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#33

Post by toomuchtodo »

untog wrote: post #25
TomBombadildoze wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Apple is the laggard left behind citation needed

The article itself cites things like the lack of support for WebRTC and Service Workers.

I can't find a single iOS app I use that needs either of these.

Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#34

Post by spankalee »

rimantas wrote: post #14
frobware wrote: post #3

Sadly, the web is an accessibility nightmare. If that changes, then sure, I could move too. But there's a lot that modern versions of iOS get right regarding accessibility, stuff that I wish google/android would do too.

with the latest webdev trends it is extremely unlikely this will improve any time soon. There was a time (~10-15) years ago when separation of concenrs and accessibility did matter, now it is just a js frameworks bloodbath.

Some "frameworks" put a ton of work into accessibility.

The Polymer team's entire element catalog is accessible with ARIA integration done with assistance from Chrome's dedicated accessibility engineers. We even provide reusable abstractions that make writing your own accessible elements easier, like iron-a11y-announcer and iron-a11y-keys.

Accessibility was a big topic at our last Polymer Summit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6yLWihykVA

Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#35

Post by rhinoceraptor »

untog wrote: post #15
criddell wrote: post #13

And then somebody in management asks why the new app is missing so many features on his brand new iPhone. In fact, all the C-level folks and board members are primarily iPhone and iPad users and none of them are happy that so many goodies are missing. If you aren't worried about provided a first class experience to your iOS customers, then build for Chrome + Android. Although, that sounds a little like "build for IE6…

> If you aren't worried about provided a first class experience to your iOS customers, then build for Chrome + Android. Although, that sounds a little like "build for IE6 + Windows" 15 years ago. Except that Android is the open one that is implementing agreed upon standards, and Apple is the laggard left behind.

> implementing agreed upon standards

Yeah, except most of your users' devices are still running 2+ year old software versions.

Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#36

Post by evook »

TomBombadildoze wrote: post #16
untog wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you aren't worried about provided a first class experience to your iOS customers, then build for Chrome + Android. Although, that sounds a little like "build for IE6 + Windows" 15 years ago. Except that Android is the open one that is implementing agreed upon standards, and Apple is the laggard left behind.

> Apple is the laggard left behind citation needed

You learn to evaluate technologies working in a relevant sector or studying some information systems stuff. No citation needed IMHO.

Would you demand citation if I tell you that 'mov ax, data' in assembler moves data to ax or look it up if you don't trust your own judgement at the moment?

Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#39

Post by itp »

Jerry2 wrote: post #26
itp wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdote: I have owned a Nexus 6p for ~6 months now. When I'm not using it, it's either on my nightstand (sleeping) or it's in my pocket. It has not bent. I have carried several chocolate bars in my pockets before (mostly when I was younger). They bend very easily. (They also melt and even when they don't escape the packaging, there is melted chocolate all over the wrapper, and it's nearly impossible to eat without m…

>FUD So this video is wrong? He made TWO videos showing how easily Nexus 6P bends because people accused him of faking it the first time. Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTIaUH6PIvo Fact is that Nexus 6P is incredibly poorly engineered due to the placement of various button cutouts and battery position. Can you take your phone and do what he did and prove him wrong? Go ahead. Until then, this is not FUD and…

I don't know. Oddly enough, picking up my phone, placing my thumbs in a particular location along the body of the phone so as to minimize the structural rigidity of the device, and applying force just isn't part of my use case for a phone. I use my 6p like every other phone I have used, and it hasn't bent. Good enough for me!

Seriously. I'm a big dude, and my everyday life is filled with objects that I could bend with a similar amount of force, including objects that I carry on my person and/or interact with a lot. I don't pick them up and try to bend them, and they don't bend.

Re: I switched to Android after 7 years of iOS

#40

Post by WorldMaker »

Kjeldahl wrote: post #2

Good post. There's one other challenge though and that is access to native GUI widgets. Just having an app icon and appearing in the task switcher simply isn't enough. It's one of the problems React Native tries to solve, although I have to admit I'm not impressed with it so far. With the momentum Javascript is having I wouldn't be surprised if most vendors will release "native" javascript bindings to their platforms…

For what it is worth, Windows has had "native" JS bindings since Windows 8/Windows Phone 8.1. The Windows 10 store added support for server-hosted JS apps, which was the last puzzle piece in the support system as a lot of web developers still love their existing/preferred server host/backend language/deployment pattern.
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