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I clicked on the link from my iPhone. I'm offered to download the Maps app even though I already have it. When I click "no thanks" I'm taken to the homepage. F

I clicked on the link from my iPhone. I'm offered to download the Maps app even though I already have it. When I click "no thanks" I'm taken to the homepage. Fuck you to the PMs and devs at google for such big screw ups all across google priorities.

baddox 13y ago
Is it possible to do any better from mobile Safari? I know the Google native apps can launch each other directly, but is that possible from Safari?
- badclient 13y ago
  Anything would be better than what they are doing at present. What keeps them from just showing the desktop version of maps? Or the mobile web version?
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - baddox 13y ago
    Oh, I know what you're talking about now. Sometimes, Google Maps URLs will show up on the mobile web version, but sometimes they'll just redirect to a splash page for the mobile app.
- spullara 13y ago
  Yes, you can use an application URL handler.
charleslmunger 13y ago
Take it up with Apple, on android there's an API apps can use to launch themselves for certain web requests. However, there's no way to do this with iOS.
- comex 13y ago
  Not being able to tell whether the app is installed is Apple's fault. Redirecting to the homepage rather than the specific link is not.
  - sjwright 13y ago
    Being able to tell whether the app is installed sounds like a privacy violation. There is a mechanism for linking to apps in iOS; Google should be using it.
    - girvo 13y ago
      Actually it fires an intent, and if the application is there it will catch it, if not, it won't. No privacy violation needed as IIRC it won't communicate back to the website. Could be wrong, haven't done much android programming.
  - luke-stanley 13y ago
    It is possible to check if a URL scheme is valid, which helps to know if an app is installed that responds to that URL scheme.
    - comex 13y ago
      I don't think it's possible to do this from JavaScript. (On the other hand, no real reason Google couldn't use a Smart App Banner, which is uncustomizable but presents an appropriate UI to either install or run the app.)
- notatoad 13y ago
  on android when I click this link I'm taken to my location search history on the web. I don't think this is apple's fault.
- hnriot 13y ago
  BS, web links can launch into apps, plenty already do it.

baddox 13y ago

Is it possible to do any better from mobile Safari? I know the Google native apps can launch each other directly, but is that possible from Safari?

badclient 13y ago
Anything would be better than what they are doing at present. What keeps them from just showing the desktop version of maps? Or the mobile web version?
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- baddox 13y ago
  Oh, I know what you're talking about now. Sometimes, Google Maps URLs will show up on the mobile web version, but sometimes they'll just redirect to a splash page for the mobile app.
spullara 13y ago
Yes, you can use an application URL handler.

charleslmunger 13y ago

Take it up with Apple, on android there's an API apps can use to launch themselves for certain web requests. However, there's no way to do this with iOS.

comex 13y ago
Not being able to tell whether the app is installed is Apple's fault. Redirecting to the homepage rather than the specific link is not.
- sjwright 13y ago
  Being able to tell whether the app is installed sounds like a privacy violation. There is a mechanism for linking to apps in iOS; Google should be using it.
  - girvo 13y ago
    Actually it fires an intent, and if the application is there it will catch it, if not, it won't. No privacy violation needed as IIRC it won't communicate back to the website. Could be wrong, haven't done much android programming.
- luke-stanley 13y ago
  It is possible to check if a URL scheme is valid, which helps to know if an app is installed that responds to that URL scheme.
  - comex 13y ago
    I don't think it's possible to do this from JavaScript. (On the other hand, no real reason Google couldn't use a Smart App Banner, which is uncustomizable but presents an appropriate UI to either install or run the app.)
notatoad 13y ago
on android when I click this link I'm taken to my location search history on the web. I don't think this is apple's fault.
hnriot 13y ago
BS, web links can launch into apps, plenty already do it.