I have an app with MagicLink authentication implemented using universal links. The app and the server are configured to handle universal links following Apple’s documentation (https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/General/Conceptual/AppSearch/UniversalLinks.html).
The link successfully launches the app from Apple Mail + Safari. However when I try to open it from GoogleMail + Chrome, it redirect to the AppStore.
It is important to notice that the app isn’t on the AppStore yet and I’m trying to sort out the issue before publishing it.
I can reproduce the issue on the iPhone 6s with iOS 10
This is a known issue with a number of apps. Universal Links do not work in many situations, with the Gmail app being one of them. See a more detailed list here.
To work around this limitation, your Universal Link URL needs to lead to a page with a button/link on it the user can activate. At Branch.io, we offer a Deepviews feature for this purpose. You'll need to build something similar.
Related
I can't find anything else on this topic, but suggested links are appreciated :)
A piece of code I'm reviewing, on an iPhone but without Apple Maps (which was deleted), is written as follows: http://maps.apple.com/?q=1.541354,104.265101
On a DESKTOP DEVICE (because the site I'm hitting is a responsive design), that link works and redirects to the intended destination, but does so on GOOGLE MAPS (since Apple Maps is a native iOS app and doesn't have a desktop web version).
HOWEVER, on my Apple 6s running latest iOS 12.0 variant, where I (like millions of other iOS users) have long-since deleted APPLE MAPS so as to make Google Maps my default, the screen shot that I pasted below appears:
REINSTALL APPLE MAPS message
Here is the text:
"Restore 'Maps'?
You followed a link that requires the app "Maps", which is no longer on your iPhone. You can restore it from the App Store.
[OPTIONS] Show in App Store Cancel"
SO, contrary to the upvoted answer from 2014 above, the maps.apple.com link does NOT redirect on Apple iPhones.
IT does redirect on desktop.
QUESTION 1: What is the UX on an ANDROID device for the user hitting that same link, who of course wouldn't be expected to have APPLE MAPS app installed?
QUESTION 2: What's the solution? The developer has to recode all map links to remove "maps.apple.com" links?
Thoughts? Thank you.
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I have implemented iOS universal links to my app and everything is working fine when link is send to email and triggered from mail app, but not works when triggered from gmail app (opens link in embedded browser). I find out that some other app links such as Youtube or TestFlight is working from gmail app. Please help me to find out what I'm doing wrong.
Universal Links only work in Gmail under very specific circumstances: the embedded webview needs to be already open, so clicking a Universal Link directly from the text of an email doesn't work. You can find a list with more information here.
It's possible YouTube and TestFlight actually aren't using Universal Links to trigger those apps. I haven't looked at them recently.
I tested the dynamic links Firebase. Configured everything in the project, the implementation did exactly like the Google documentation and created links on the console. When I test in Safari it does not open the application.
Thank you
iOS 9+
Due to the limitations on the iOS platform, Firebase Dynamic Links must rely on Apple's Universal Link system to open the app directly from a link when it is installed. One of the constraints placed on Universal Links is that the app-open behavior is only triggered from a user's click and not by a redirect or copy/paste into Safari.
We have found it very challenging to test Universal Links in the simulator and pretty much always use a real device for this type of thing. Basic steps: install app > SMS link to your test device > click link > observe app open.
iOS 8 and prior
iOS versions prior to 9 handle opening the app from a Dynamic Link through Safari, so if the app is not opening when you copy/paste the link into Safari then some setup is incomplete. Please review your Firebase project for information and confirm that your bundle IDs/custom schemes match on the project page, in your link, and in your app; be sure that the bundle ID is listed in URL Types in your Xcode project setup along with any custom scheme you wish to use.
Other Info
Here is a link to a prior answer that may be helpful as well.
Firebase dynamic link not opening the app iOS
I read that from iOS 9, Universal links are introduced. Please explain the different between Deep-linking and universal links.
My objective is, a link will be sent in mail to customers. Let the mail says there is an offer for item A, and a link. On clicking the link
If the app is installed then, open the app and launch specific screen showing item A
If app is not installed then, download it from App Store and open it and launch specific screen showing item A
What if there is a user login feature?
If app is installed and user is not logged in then,
open the app
Launch login screen
After login is success launch specific screen showing item A.
How can these be implemented? How the links are configured for these?
As of iOS 9.2, released December 8th, 2015, Apple has sounded the death knell for URI scheme based redirects, the standard for deep linking for the last seven years. They’ve decided that Universal Links are the future.
Earlier in order to use a URI scheme, you have to manually handle the case of the app not being installed.The problem with this is that when the app is not installed, it shows a ‘Cannot Open Page’ error. I’m sure you’ve all seen it. It’s the bane of deep linking.We were able to bypass this in iOS 7 and iOS 8, but it is not possible now from iOS 9.
Get more details form this link
To clarify, 'deep links' are simply links that, when clicked, cause your app to open directly to content. Universal Links are a type of deep link, as are URL scheme links, but neither is a perfectly bulletproof solution right now so to cover all edge cases, you'll want to implement both.
Fortunately Branch can handle all of that complexity behind the scenes so you don't have to worry about it! As mentioned in the answer above, the guide here will get you up and running with exactly the implementation you described!
I found a usable link here . It gives step by step details about deep linking using Branch.io
Is there a way, in iOS 6, to link from an app to a specific developer's page on the App Store app? By that I mean a list showing all the apps by the developer.
There are various ways to link to the store (I am using the Appmosys as the example here) that produce various results:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/appmosys/id331687329 - The link copied from desktop iTunes, opens up the iTunes app on an iOS 6 device, with the developer's page. If you tap on one of their apps, it goes to that app on the App Store app.
http://itunes.com/apps/appmosys - Opens the iTunes app (via Safari) but presents this error message: "Cannot connect to iTunes store".
itms://itunes.com/apps/appmosys - Goes straight to the iTunes app, but same error as above.
itms-apps://itunes.com/apps/appmosys - Opens the App Store app, but also presents the same error (screenshot here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/6920023/iphone-screenshot.PNG ).
Is there actually a way to do this in iOS 6?
Bonus points if you can answer the question and know if the link you provide also works with the affiliate program, http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/. I've already looked at the Link Maker on this page, http://www.apple.com/itunes/link/, but can only produce the standard iTunes link.
Part B / even more bonus points
You can link straight to the Reviews tab in the App Store app for an app, but can you also now link straight to the new Related tab?
i have a solution for iOS 5:
itms-apps://itunes.com/apps/appmosys/id331687329
and one for iOS 6:
itms-apps://itunes.apple.com/artist/appmosys/id331687329
if you use itms-apps:// URLs instead of http:// it will open the app store app on the device, which is less confusing to the user, then going through safari.
Unfortunately i didn't found any single URL that works on iOS 5 and iOS 6. So the Apple Q&A Documentation is not valid anymore for iOS 6 :-(
UPDATE: i just realized that my iOS 5 solution works also on iOS 6 on the iPad, but not on the iPhone with iOS 6. it's getting weirder and weirder....
UPDATE 2:
apple just annonced the appstore.com urls so now you can link to Electronic Arts Developer Page with http://appstore.com/ElectronicArts
i just tested it and it works for iPad from iOS 5.1 to 6.0 and iPhone from 4.3 to 6.0
so now the Apple Q&A Documentation is valid!
I have a universal app and I needed to open up my developer page, and display the correct apps depending whether the user is using an iPhone, iPod or iPad. The only way I could get this to work correctly was by using the iTunes link maker http://itunes.apple.com/linkmaker/ results but replaced https: with itms-apps:
The link like http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=426623392
will be work on any iOS devices and any browsers in Internet also.
The customer will be NOT confused because it is standard link of Apple and developers using it.
Change just your id. So, it will be http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=XXXXXXXX where XXXXXXXX is your developer id.
This link you can find also in iTunes App on your desktop by copy the link from button "More Apps by YYYYYYY" on page of any of yours App. There YYYYYYY is your developer name. Like on this page https://itunes.apple.com/be/app/visual-html-editor-eye-lite/id472624198?mt=8
If you prefer to have a CUSTOMIZED "MORE APPS BY US" page inside your app (not exit to AppStore or Safari), then have a look at what I created here (there is downloadable working project):
http://xcodenoobies.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-to-create-dynamic-more-apps-page.html
The beauty of this is the data is retrieved from iTunes AppStore everytime you open the page in your app, and that you can customize it however you like.
Cheers.
http://itunes.apple.com/artist/id331687329.
I get to this link by using iTunes on Mac. Search for the company name, click on any app that is made by the company, look for "More iPhone Apps by XXXXX", click on it, then you'll see all apps by this company, right click on the company name and copy link, and you'll get this link. This link will work with iOS 6.
I have no problems mit links created with http://itunes.apple.com/linkmaker/
It generates only https links.