#436: Get Installed Related Apps

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Opened Oct 29, 2019

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Discussions

2019-11-19

Minutes

Lukasz: its basically a functionality for web apps to see if there is a equivalent native app installed, so to not prompt to install native app etc.

Very simple features based on manifest file, and I am OK with all of that

My only concern is around incognito that is should not return that the app is installed. But then maybe the app can check whether we are in incognito or not.

Dan: Or that you don't have the app installed.

Lukasz: Yes.

Dan: What is the deal with manifest

Ken: They are linked together. This is mostly for not showing double notifications etc.

Dan: Couldn't any app install a manifest and then probe to see if you have certain applications installed?

Ken: you need Digital Assets Links on your website that needs to match your app.

Dan: (Regarding prior comment of seeming anti-Web.) If the intent is that you have web app and native app installed, and this makes all the traffic go to the native app rather than the web app -- could confuse users. What if I made the explicit choice to use the web app... suddenly find that all my links have been going to the native app.

Kenneth: Already does that given that apps register for URL patterns. If it's doing this test every time, if it figures out native app is uninstalled, could send notifictaions to web app.

Dan: Maybe be more explicit about what happens when both native app and web app are installed. We don't want to put functionality in people's hands that favors the native experience over the web experience.

2021-01-Kronos

Minutes

Ken: left a comment asking for info on implementation status...

Dan: left a comment on lack of multi-stakeholder support...

2021-03-08

Minutes

Ken: leaving feedback about alternate proposal from Mozilla

2021-03-15

Minutes

Dan: maybe didn't close because Ken wasn't there. Proposal from Mozilla hasn't bee considered, concerning, means what? They haven't listened to our feedback? API design itself seems fine but fingerprinting issue hasn't been looked at so we're not happy, or ambivalent..

Ken: they shipped it

Dan: we can say we're ambivalent then

Ken: close now?

Dan: I think it should be resolution: ambivalent. Unsatisfied would connote this is really deeply harmful, or the design is really bad.

Ken: will figure out what to write

Dan: look forward to hearing more once it goes through incuation (the I in WICG is incubation, we should always say that)

closed

Dan: boom