Google’s Progressive Web Apps turn mobile sites into Android apps

By Adam Ismail January 23, 2017

Keynote (Chrome Dev Summit 2016)

At Google’s Chrome Dev Summit in November, the company introduced a new initiative called Progressive Web Apps, which aim to bridge the gap between a typical mobile web experience and a dedicated custom app on your Android smartphone or tablet. As of this week, support for Progressive Web Apps has been activated for users of the Chrome Dev and Canary apps on Android, according to XDA Developers.

Think of a Progressive Web App like a typical site with a mobile-friendly interface that’s bookmarked on the home screen, but with a couple of added benefits. The main difference is these web apps are treated by Android much like apps from the Play Store. You can install and uninstall the web apps from the device, and they exist within the app drawer. Progressive Web Apps also have the ability to issue notifications.

Related Videos

In the past, some users have preferred the stripped-down nature of mobile sites over dedicated apps, which can take a heavier toll on a device’s resources and battery. Google’s solution essentially makes the experience of using those same mobile sites on your phone or tablet much less clunky. Currently, calling up a site pinned to the home screen will just open a new Chrome tab. With Progressive Web Apps, these sites are now treated in Android’s recent app history as unique apps, rather than Chrome tabs. Additionally, they can be accessed while offline, and won’t leave you with a blank screen when opened without a network connection.

There are benefits for developers, too. Mobile sites and Progressive Web Apps are viewable across platforms, less dependent on device specifications, and can be updated instantly.

Support for Progressive Web Apps can be turned on in Chrome Dev or Canary by entering “chrome://flags/#enable-improved-a2hs” into the address bar. However, websites also need to enable support on their end before users can start installing them. You can see a list of the ones that already work as Progressive Web Apps here. From there, the process is as simple as tapping “add to home screen” in Chrome’s menu. Regardless, the feature is still a work in progress and some elements, like notifications, may not be functional right away.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Mobile

What is 5G? Speeds, coverage, comparisons, and more

The 5G UW icon on the Samsung Galaxy S23.

It's been years in the making, but 5G — the next big chapter in wireless technology — is finally approaching the mainstream. While we haven't yet reached the point where it's available everywhere, nearly all of the best smartphones are 5G-capable these days, and you're far more likely to see a 5G icon lit up on your phone than not.

There's more to 5G than just a fancy new number, though. The technology has been considerably more complicated for carriers to roll out since it covers a much wider range of frequencies than older 4G/LTE technology, with different trade-offs for each. It's also a much farther-reaching wireless technology, promising the kind of global connectivity that was once merely a dream found in futuristic sci-fi novels.

Mobile

The Google Pixel Fold may not be as expensive as you thought

Alleged renders of the Google Pixel Fold in black.

Google’s long-in-development foldable phone — the Pixel Fold — is reportedly eyeing a late June launch. A recent leak predicted that the Pixel Fold will hit the European shelves priced at 1,700 Euros, which equates to roughly $1,800 based on current conversion rates. That’s not easy to digest, especially for a first-gen foldable phone and considering Google’s own shaky history with its Pixel hardware and software.
But it appears that the Pixel Fold’s price won’t be inexplicably exorbitant at all. Leaker Yogesh Bear shared on Twitter that the foldable phone could actually cost anywhere between $1,300 and $1,500. Assuming that turns out to be true, the Pixel Fold could undercut the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 and its successor by a healthy $500.

In fact, such an asking price would put the Pixel Fold in roughly the same ballpark as the higher storage configurations of phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max. Of course, Google won’t be able to match the asking price of foldables from Chinese brands, but it would at least look competitive in the Western markets.
Now, a price of around $1,300-1,500 makes a lot of sense. First, the biggest deterrent for foldable phones is their high asking price. There’s a reason Samsung managed to sell bucketloads of its flip-style foldable phones because they cost nearly half vis-a-vis the phone-tablet hybrids in the Galaxy Z Fold series.

Mobile

Google Pixel 8: all the latest rumors and what we want to see

Google Pixel 8 leaked render.

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are on their way. Google's fallen in a pretty reliable release pattern for Pixel phones, meaning we can safely expect a new lineup of flagship Pixels each year. In 2023, that means the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are two excellent devices -- possibly two of the best smartphones Google has ever made. But while they have some serious strengths, a number of problems and missed opportunities drag both phones down. This wouldn't be a problem if the competition was standing still, but it's not. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro refreshed the iPhone design for the first time in years, and the recently released Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is quite possibly one of the best smartphones ever created. So what's a humble Pixel to do?