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They're all over the place for core functions - whenever you click a "Share" button it will ask which applications can handle the content you want to share and
by JonWood 15y ago
They're all over the place for core functions - whenever you click a "Share" button it will ask which applications can handle the content you want to share and add them to the menu. I've also been prompted to choose whether I want to make phone calls using the built in dialer or Skype, which I presume is using intents as well.
Where I've not see so much use is providing completely new intents, presumably because its so hard to get any sort of agreement on how they should be implemented.
- CWIZO 15y agoBlackBerry has this also. I can share anything with any app that I have installed (and that can support sharing of some sort). I don't know how this is implemented or if it is even the same principal as this behind the scenes...
- fpgeek 15y agoTo add another example, alternate launchers hook at least one intent (the one triggered when you press the home button) and possibly more.
- fpgeek 15y agoFacebook Single Sign-On on Android is implemented via an Intent, though Facebook is obviously a player that developers will follow
- scopendo 15y agoWhilst that might be cool technology, I wonder at the user experience and confusion when my mum clicks on the phone icon and all of a sudden this menu appears asking me whether I want to use the phone or skype (obviously I get that the call can be done with either, but mum probably doesn't).
- MatthewPhillips 15y agoIf your mother doesn't have skype installed she wouldn't get this message. If she does, I would presume she knows what skype is for. Additionally for the big system-level intents there is an "always use this action" which is useful so you don't have to repeatedly tell it to use the phone app to place phone calls.
- smackfu 15y agoThe iPhone experience is that the system Contacts app is only for calling via the phone system. If you want to call via Skype, you open Skype and then use its embedding of the system address book. It is really quite clunky.