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Idea: web-service for default apps

G

grav

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 31, 2011
3
0
Both as end-users and developers, what would you think of a web-service that supplied apps with a list of default apps?

More concretely, I'm thinking a default apps-library that simply allowed an app to query a the web-service for a list of default mail client, browser etc.

This way, a user would only be required to select his or her default apps once, and other apps could take advantage of it.

The challenges I see are:

- hosting a webservice is not free
- (yet another) registration and login would be required of the user

Both could be solved by using iCloud, but I don't think apps from different developers can share access to iCloud data, unfortunately.

If you have any suggestions or comments as to whether this could gain any traction, I'd love to hear them! :)
 
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Daveoc64

macrumors 601
Jan 16, 2008
4,074
92
Bristol, UK
What do you mean by "default"?

iOS doesn't support the concept of having a "default" anything.

Are you suggesting that a user could tell this service:

I want web links to open in Google Chrome
I want my email to open in Mailbox
I want my IM to open Facebook Messenger
I want my camera to be Instagram
I want my Podcasts to open up in Downcast

etc.

Apps could then check this service to see what the user has selected, and to open the above types of content in the user's choice of App

Or am I totally missing your point!?
 
G

grav

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 31, 2011
3
0
Daveoc64 said:
What do you mean by "default"?

Are you suggesting that a user could tell this service:

...

Apps could then check this service to see what the user has selected, and to open the above types of content in the user's choice of App

Or am I totally missing your point!?
Click to expand...

You are correct - that clarifies what I mean. The service would only be meant for 3rd party apps, so that for instance Twitter can open a link in Chrome instead of Safari. Currently, a lot of apps allow you to choose the preferred app for links etc, but this way, the user would only have to choose once for all supporting apps, and he only has to change his preferences one place.
 
AlphaVictor87

AlphaVictor87

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
797
27
Saint Louis, MO
I think this is a good idea but i feel that it should be within iOS not on some web service.

There could just be a location in settings called 'Default Applications'

Applications could go into categories and you can just select one out of the list.

Obviously there would be some work on the developers part for this as well, but what functionality like this wouldn't require that?
 
D

Daveoc64

macrumors 601
Jan 16, 2008
4,074
92
Bristol, UK
AlphaVictor87 said:
I think this is a good idea but i feel that it should be within iOS not on some web service.

There could just be a location in settings called 'Default Applications'

Applications could go into categories and you can just select one out of the list.

Obviously there would be some work on the developers part for this as well, but what functionality like this wouldn't require that?
Click to expand...

Whether it should be in iOS or not is somewhat moot.

The idea of "default apps" is something Apple doesn't like, so it's not likely to be put in by them.

Some Apps have done their own system to let you pick an App, but they are very limited.
 
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