Discussion Forums  >  WebViews and HTML for Mobile

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Susan Metoxen
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08/21/12 02:13 PM (13 years ago)

Best approach: Custom URLs or Launch Native

I am making an app for a local film festival. For each film, I would like to include links to: 1) YouTube, and 2) to an external website to buy tickets. Is it better to use launch native apps for these types of situations? I am having problems in Android with using a custom url to link to YouTube. The play button doesn't work. In addition, since there will be a purchase of tickets, I am thinking it would be safer to have users leave the app. The big downside to this is that the user leaves the app. Any words of wisdom for me? Thank you!
 
GoNorthWest
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08/21/12 02:51 PM (13 years ago)
Hi Susan, I like the idea of launching a native app for these as well. I've found, in my general use of apps on both Android and iOS, that native apps handle these formats better than the general webview. But that's just my personal feeling. Yes, they'll leave your app, but it's easy enough to come back in. Security is important for financial transactions, so a native browser with SSL would be preferable. Just my two cents! Mark
 
MGoBlue
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08/21/12 02:57 PM (13 years ago)
I've changed to 'launch a native app' for YouTube just because of the Android issue. I haven't run into any problems with any other custom urls. There's a portion in the Android source code you can uncomment that will force the back button on Android to act as a browser back button. Once I did that, all of my custom urls (except YouTube) work great! I've utilized both TicketLeap and EventBrite urls in my apps without any problem. You can call a secure page from a custom url.
 
shak77
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08/21/12 06:11 PM (13 years ago)
One thing to keep in mind with Youtube is that the Youtube app will not be on iOS 6
 
Susan Metoxen
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08/21/12 08:46 PM (13 years ago)
@MGoBlue--It is great to have you back on the forums! You have so much experience! It is very interesting that you can have a secure website within a custom url. I know about the Android source code problem and can fix that. One thing that is nice with Android is you can always go back, even if you left the app. @shak77 Yikes! In that case, I am thinking that the launch a native app is better, but I shouldn't set up to launch directly to YouTube so it goes to Safari. I wonder if David knows about this?
 
MGoBlue
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08/21/12 08:50 PM (13 years ago)
Thanks for the compliments, Susan. Been a hectic month. For my videos in apps, I don't launch the youtube app. Instead I launch the native browser using a url search link.
 
mrDavid
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08/21/12 11:07 PM (13 years ago)
Hmm great wisdom here... this might fix a problem I've been having in android too! David buzztouchmods.com
 
ATRAIN53
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08/22/12 10:38 AM (13 years ago)
>>> One thing to keep in mind with Youtube is that the Youtube app will not be on iOS 6 Did not know that, thanks for the heads up! So URL's it is when I use YouTube in apps.
 
shak77
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08/22/12 11:14 AM (13 years ago)
 

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