CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidurlmobilewebshortcut-file
Giorgio Robino
Giorgio Robino

Reputation: 2265

Any multi-platform web app mobile URL desktop-shortcut?

I ask a suggestion about a user Experience issueaccessing a browser URL on a mobile phone:

how can a "basic" user EASILY can access a web app on the browser of a handset (mobile phone/tablet, with possibly a solution not dependent on the specific OS (as usual: Android (mainly I'm interested on this OS)/iOS/Windows Phone/etc. on the handset ?

In other terms:

How can I set a simple OS-indipendent (BROWSER-indipendent) URL desktop-shortcut ?

I explain better: I realized a simple html/css/js/bootstrap web app (e-commerce) to be used from a handset. Some screnshots here:

https://twitter.com/solyarisoftware/status/478946171420155904/photo/1

https://twitter.com/solyarisoftware/status/477373808551411712/photo/1

The web app (that user access through the browser of the handset) could be a possible valid alternative to an expensive native app. But I have this problem:

because my application is an e-commerce (in food realms) that could be used by a vast body of people tipically "inexpert" ... in facts many users that access phone apps have difficulties to just enter a URL on a web browser...

I confess I get bored myself to enter a long URL, let say:

http://mysuperbecommerce.com/mymarketplace/myshop

so, how to do to SIMPLIFY the access to the URL for the lazy/inexpert users ? I thinked about some possible solutions:

SOLUTION 1. A BROWSER DESKTOP URL SHORTCUT

(obvious! you could say!) Of course, but this is not so perfect: - is usually a specific feature of the browser... and by example in my case, with an Android phone, with Chrome. Dolphin and native Android browser I get confused myself to save and retrieve shortcuts ... - is dependendt by the OS

SOLUTION 2. "DIRECTORY" APP LUNCH AN "INTENT"

I thinked about a native app that just act as "redirector", I read here and there some Android code: the native app just start and run the "Intent" giving a URL to the browser... make sense ? Maybe something interesting here: Adding URL shortcut to mobile screen through a link on the website

Nevertheless I'm asking if there is a better way, maybe an (Android) app just made with this scope ? (I didn't find it)

SOLUTION 3. HYBRID-NATIVE APP

Ok... Embed the web app in some Hybrid-native framework (as Phonegap/Cordova)

Any suggestion welcome!
Thanks for your patience giorgio

Upvotes: 1

Views: 517

Answers (1)

Giorgio Robino
Giorgio Robino

Reputation: 2265

A possible "solution" for Android OS I used is this very essential "Web Shortcuts" app:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.unknowndevelopers.bm

BTW, There are someones similar: "ShortcutToURL" or "URLWidget" apps.

Is not a perfect solution, any alternative suggestion still welcome.

Upvotes: 1

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