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Is it really necessary for an app to be able to query whether a URL scheme is handled? It would be nice if Apple could make that API non-functional to put a sto

• e28eta 12y ago
  If you want to build a real, cross-vender multi-app workflow, it's really handy: the initiating app can show different UI based on whether it's available. Ex: only show "Open in Google Maps" button if it's installed. I find it distasteful that it's being heavily used for analytics instead of building great workflows. Look at all the apps that integrate with Facebook's tracking: "fb..."
  • Khao 12y ago
    I think the best way to have that API would have been to provide an app-specific link with an optional (or maybe even required) second parameter to a fallback link to the website for the same action. Let's say your app has a "share to FB" button, you'd poke the iOS Api by calling a method and passing both the facebook://shareSomething URI and the http://www.facebook.com/?sharestuff http://www.facebook.com/?sharestuff URI as a second parameter in case the app-specific URI is not handled by the device.
  • stephenr 12y ago
    That strategy specifically relies on the app author to support specific apps then. A better solution would be using the share sheet, so any app that supports the type of data you're sharing, can make use of it.
    • 21echoes 12y ago
      This system of open intent handling (for purposes other than sharing to social-media-network-du-jour) is decent on Android devices, but is all but non-existent on iOS devices. In other words: no, that solution is not currently the better option on iOS given the environment.
      • stephenr 12y ago
        iOS8 only came out 2 1/2 months ago. Give it time.