Web App not update iOS 12.2

Hi Guys,

Updated iPAD to iOS 12.2 - Web App not updating from Volt no error message.

All other platforms are fine. (Windows/Chrome Android)

I have to delete the home page shortcut and add in from Safari Browser to latest version.

Anyone ideas?

Ian.

Hi Guys

Resolved. New iOS 12.2 you can leave web app by pressing home button and starting up another app on iIOS and return to your web app in the state you left it which is great.

We have an exit button for Windows which the client presses before leaving the app, which is redundant on iOS and causes an error which in turn stops the Web App from updating if there is an update. The work around is to delete web app install again or restart iOS

This would not be required if we just disable the exit button for iOS OS.

Thank you.

Ian.

Not quite resolved - as the app remains in state - no update even if the app is closed, its not closed, therefore no update, interesting.

Ian.

I have exactly the same problem with 12.2. Previously, an app would check for updates every time it was launched from the homescreen, whether or not it had been swipe-closed. Now it does not update immediately when a revised app is uploaded (to my own server), even if it is swipe-closed.

However, it does eventually update (only if swipe-closed), but only after being left for hours or even overnight.

Checked the IOS 12.2 documentation.

Here … Progressive Web App Progress in iOS 12.2 Beta 1 (Build 16E5181f) | by Thomas Steiner | Dev Channel | Medium

So might need to a menu option check for updates.

Ian.

Is it possible to force an update check programmatically?

We’re working to figure out what is happening here. My hunch is that we are also not done with changes from Apple in this area - the next version of iOS is sure to change things again.

Here is all the documentation that Apple has released on this issue:

HI

As a temp measure I have added a menu option in my app - “Check for Updates” when selected
calls location.reload(true); // force reload.

It works on all platforms…

I need to make my apps work offline … currently has links to online CDN’s for some libraries … if put my iPAD in Airplane mode no internet the app show’s all jumble forms. Swipe to close. Switch Airplane mode off - connect to internet - launch app from home screen - because iOS 12.2 does not refresh the app your left with the jumbled screen unable to run app. Have to delete app from Home Screen and add in from Safari. Therefore need to make app work offline.

Ian.

This issue of not relaunching a saved home screen app has affected my app in a different way.

My app sends the user via a web link to display a web page outside of the app.

Since there is no “back” button when the web page is displayed there is no way to get back to the “home” screen on my app.

Here’s something more about how 12.2 handles links:

See “PWA Browser”

The author of the article thinks this behaviour is incorrect - but Apple has not acknowledged that there is a problem or said this will change.

" :back: We have navigation gestures to go back and forward using “swipe from edges” within PWAs and the In-App Browser."

This “swipe from edges” does not work, am I missing something?

Have a look at the Swipe sample - it does this.

If there is some new event for this, I haven’t found docs for it yet. My interpretation of Firtman’s article is that he is saying this now works with Home Screen apps as well as web pages.

Firtman also states, “Therefore, all your links now open within your own app’s scope and they may have a “Done” button to go back to your app.”

Implementation of the “Done” button would be very helpful.

Tnx.

Again, from the same article:

  • The Done button doesn’t appear at the first glance, so the user will be confused about how to cancel the popup browser (the back gesture is obscure)

I wish we had more docs - Firtman’s unofficial article is the best we have to go on at this point.

These two pwa’s when added to the home screen demonstrate the pwa updates in 12.2:

https://mobile.twitter.com/

Apparently the new iOS PWA updates requires adding support files to the host web site of the app:

“Progressive web applications (PWA)](Progressive Web Apps | The Benefits And Features) are a newer class of web site. They are fast, reliable, secure and engaging. Behind the scenes they are served using HTTPS, have a valid web manifest file and a registered service worker. These are the core technical requirements.”

So I did a crash course on manifest.json and serviceworker.js files and added them to my website.

I now can direct the user to an outside link and then return to my app by either swiping or pressing the “done” button.

That article is from March, 2019, based on wording Apple introduced in 2017. So far, this hasn’t affected any AppStudio app that we know of.

We’re working on adding manifest.json and serviceworker.js files to AppStudio to see how this works in the real world. Apple have just released iOS 12.3 beta, so more improvements may be coming.

“We’re working on adding manifest.json and serviceworker.js files to AppStudio”

That’s great.

You also have to include <link rel="manifest" href="manifest.json" /> in the index file (but you probably already knew that).