Richer Install UI for PWAs

[finnur-thorarinsson]

Request for Mozilla Position on Richer Install UI for PWAs

• Specification Title: Web App Manifest - Application Information
• Specification or proposal URL: https://w3c.github.io/manifest-app-info/#supplementary-manifest-members

Summary:

Most browsers have facilities to enable users to add a website to their homescreen. Several browsers provide the ability to install PWAs. Currently the context that’s available to convey is the website’s origin, as well as the name and icons made available through the Web App Manifest. This is different from other store mechanisms, on all platforms, that also share developer-provided information such as a description and screenshots.

Microsoft’s Aaron Gustafson has proposed a Web App Manifest Application Information draft (see spec above), through which we can obtain that information.

Chrome for Android is starting to experiment with a new, richer user interface that displays this information (description and screenshots) when the developer has provided it. We’ve carefully designed this interface to continue to highlight known information such as the origin, and are working with the permissions and privacy teams to make sure we can evolve it responsibly going forward.

This feature is already implemented in Chrome behind a flag (“Mobile PWA Installation bottom sheet”), which is available in today’s Chrome Canary. Suggest testing with https://squoosh.app/.

Tag review:

These properties were included during the original Manifest TAG review:
https://github.com/w3ctag/design-reviews/issues/30

Explainer:

https://w3c.github.io/manifest-app-info/
https://github.com/w3c/manifest-app-info/blob/main/explainer.md
https://web.dev/add-manifest/#screenshots

[nschonni]

Maybe related #84

[ghost]

Maybe related: Mozilla drops support for desktop web apps in Firefox

[philloooo]

hi! any update on this issue?
Chrome is also implementing this on Desktop. See https://chromestatus.com/feature/5206272861798400

[martinthomson]

As noted, Mozilla is not looking closely at desktop PWAs. We're not currently in a position to provide input on this proposal.