Exit in-app browsers (IAB) to user's default browser - bypass inaccessible downloads, forgotten sign-in via web app manifest or well-known file

[shalanah]

Introduction

In-app browsers break downloads silently daily and across the world - and by default!

This creates inaccessible website experiences right now on both Android and iOS devices alike.

Use Cases (Recommended)

Website links are posted on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and more. Most of these links on phones will open in IAB (in-app browsers) where they break website download functionality silently. Confusing users thinking websites are broken - especially since younger users treat these Apps as browsing platforms. It is hard for users to describe this issue, as well, since they do not know they are in IABs or what IABs are.

Goals (Optional)

Users can easily download from websites without broken functionality from IAB.

Proposed Solution

Some ideas

• Stop silently failing. This is an accessibility issue! Devices should tell users why they can't download + explicitly how-to circumvent this issue.
• Allow web devs the ability to know (detect) that downloads are not allowed because of being within an in-app browser (maybe through some kind of Download API?)
• Allow web devs to exit in-app experiences to a default browser (via a link like Android intent links)

If others have ideas how to make this a seamless experience for web devs + users I'm all ears!

Currently I have to detect IAB with inapp-spy and then redirect with an intent link in Android or give user directions for iOS since no default url schema exists (but a Safari one does).

[shalanah]

More background

After some tests - both Android + iOS devices go to default browser if the website is associated with a published app in their respective app stores.

Those links go to default browser when the app is not on the user's device and is linked to the app and well-known.

Why is this only for those websites that have associated published apps?

Proposed solution

Open websites in user's default browser if we add a field in the web app's manifest or to a well-known file. If this field exists the website will open in the user's preferred browser with things like enabled downloads and remembered sign-in functionality.