New PWA install interface on Android

feature announcements
#1

Starting on Chrome 90, Discourse admins can add screenshots to the PWA install bottom sheet.

You will need to take a few screenshots of interesting pages, upload those a topic and fill then in at /admin/site_settings/category/branding?filter=manifest screenshots.

For the screenshots, Chrome documents the following requirements:

  • Width and height must be at least 320px and at most 3840px.
  • The maximum dimension can’t be twice larger than the minimum dimension.
  • Screenshots must have the same aspect ratio.
  • Only JPEG and PNG image formats are supported.

After filling the setting, it will look like this:

Screenshot_20210304-195914
Screenshot_20210304-1959141080×2160 426 KB
Screenshot_20210304-195935
Screenshot_20210304-1959351080×2160 338 KB

If you have a login required site, be aware that the screenshots are public.

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Questions about Android/iOS apps
#2

According to Techdows, the new PWA install interface will be brought to desktop platforms too: Chrome for Android to get bottom sheet UI for PWA installs

Once the new PWA install interface becomes available on desktop platforms, will Discourse support it too?

#3

Yes, it will be automatically supported as we implement according to the spec, and as browsers catch up the feature is already there. That’s similar to Inviting users from your contact list where we implemented the spec in January 2020, Android users got it with Chrome 80 in Feb 2020 and iOS users will maybe get it with iOS 14.5 in 2021.

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#4

I anticipate to see the feature on my iOS devices by the end of March then. :smile:

I assume that the feature will also be supported in Microsoft Edge and other Chromium browsers. Great stuff!

As for the integration with contact lists, I hope to see it available on desktop platforms too.

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#5

How to fill in the settings for the screenshots? Seems only to be a text field and does not prompt for an image upload.

#6

You need to upload to a topic, copy the URL afterwards and use that in the site setting.

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#7

Nice, but what about if we do not want the PWA?

We have many users with androids who get confused and do no like the option…
Most of the admins use IOS and so were a bit lost trying to figure out what was their concern, I have a BB so wasn’t concerned either…

For security reasons, we instructed that “There should never be any message to “download an app” from this site” on our forum and if it were a minor concern, affecting IOS will affect us seriously

Will the admins have the choice in enabling or not the PWA interface? if not how can we disable the PWA install feature?

#8

I have added a couple of screenshots links in the manifest screenshots, in order to test these features. But it’s not working for me. I have tried chrome v90.0.4430 and chrome canary 91.0.4446. Is this feature ready to implement or do we have to wait??

#9

Try informing your users about PWAs.

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#10

You have to enable a flag in Chrome Canary to test it:

chrome://flags/#mobile-pwa-install-use-bottom-sheet

#11

You can hide the banner that prompts users to install it with CSS.

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#12

Thank you
I will clarify a bit, we have nothing against PWA, it might be the way to go, but not having an invasive pop-up when they join the site, asking them about PWA and installing it. It’s too invasive and not at all in the spirit of our group, we already lost folk migrating to discourse, those happy with no GUI etc…

#13

Thank you,
Will give a try and see if it solves…
As I will need to find a monkey to test after, me with my BB see nothing (at all hahaha specially now it is been by Google as iOS (???)…)

#14

Oh yeah, there’s probably a way to only just hide the pop-up. I think that would be a much better solution rather than disabling the functionality altogether.

BlackBerry is out of touch with the modern world. From what I remember when I owned one, even Windows Phone/Windows 10 Mobile supported PWAs! :laughing:

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#15

It’s working fine for meta and not for my site in chrome canary. I have uploaded the image and added the links in manifest screenshots. Is there anything I am missing here?

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#16

Can you link the site here? I can take a look at it for you!

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#17

Thanks, there is a mod in UK that will have a look…

The idea of disabling the PWA, was not to remove, but more when we have more time see how we can integrate the PWA, compatible with our thoughts, not as a popup perhaps a link to for those wanting to try…

#18

There is no pop-up.

The install prompt for PWA install in Discourse that happens in Android is a link in a top banner that only happens for users with enough engagement.

The new screenshots mentioned above only show after the user clicks on the prompt we have used for years.

3 Likes
#19

Thanks,
I appreciate, will have a look straight away

#20

Thanks bro,

Here is my site, engineersasylum.com

1 Like