Will there be a web companion for SMS messages on the Kompakt similar to how Google has a web version of Messages available on a desktop? I receive a few text messages that require a browser to complete forms, check ins for appointments, et al.
I could see forwarding these SMS to my email to complete on my computer, but this does not feel like a solution.
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No sync possible at the moment. I expect this to be available via Mudita Center somehow, but no mention of this feature yet.
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@haleme We donât have anything like this at the moment, but I will pass your message to the team.
@urszula Thank you. How are you handling things like url links sent via SMS with your Kompakt?
@haleme It opens in the WebView, but you can also download the BRAVE browser
Didnât realize WebView worked on the Kompakt. Problem solved!
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So, WebView will get opened to the particular page associated with a given URL in an SMS message? But, users cannot navigate anywhere else unless they have a browser, such as the Brave browser, side-loaded?
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Thinking about this further, having WebView available to built in and sideloaded apps solves a variety of perceived limitations.
URL links sent via SMS.
QR codes that redirect to a site or PDF
Wifi that needs to redirect to a website for authentication or access
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Here is a description of WebView from official documentation:
WebView objects allow you to display web content as part of your activity layout, but lack some of the features of fully-developed browsers. A WebView is useful when you need increased control over the UI and advanced configuration options that will allow you to embed web pages in a specially-designed environment for your app.
Today is the first day that I have known that Kompakt will use WebView, and I am super-happy that Mudita is using WebView for certain situations!
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@kirkmahoneyphd You can navigate on the page itself. Like, when I was in Athens & connected to the Airport Wifi, then it took me to the airport page where I had to check a checkbox that I understand the terms & conditions and then press the CONNECT button. After that, I was taken to the âYouâre connectedâ page.
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Thank you for explaining that. I had forgotten that Airport (and other) WiFi-connection confirmations often require multiple steps. That the WebView will let us do that is GREAT news!
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Can we get details ASAP on what this means? I was under the impression there was no browser on the stock mudita Kompakt. If simply getting sent a link allows a browser to pop up and the user to navigate through additional links in that popup then that changes the entire point of the phone. For example there is almost always a link to social media on any website. If all you have to do to get to social media is go to a link someone sent you then navigate to Facebook etc. that does not really help with over use of those sites. One of the main reasons for getting this phone is there not being internet access.
Does webview at least limit the user to the domain of the original link? I could see that being a potential compromise ?
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@andrewh Itâs not a browser in the same way Chrome or Brave is. WebView is a component (not an app!) that developers embed inside other apps to display web content.
It just goes to that specific site to activate wifi. Thatâs it. When I sent myself a link to see if I can download the REVOLUT app directly to the phone, it opened a blank page. Itâs not a browser that you can just open- it lives inside an app and is controlled by that app.
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Good to hear. So this is only allowed inside camera app for QR and Wifi app for connecting? Not SMS? Thank you!
Would you be able to try sending yourself a link to a normal website. Or even simply Google.com in the SMS app and see what happens? Thank you!
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@urszula Were you able to try sending a link to a normal website on the sms app (like google.com or something) and seeing if webview let you go to links from that initial webview?
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@andrewh You canât click on links in SMS messages
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Thank you! I am glad of that design decision!
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@urszula Iâm confused now. Webview is not going to be able to open links in SMS messages? I plan on not installing a browser when I receive my Kompakt, but how can I handle these text messages where I need to complete a form without crazy workarounds like forwarding to an email address?
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@haleme, like I mentioned above:
- WebView is not a full browser.
- Itâs a tool that apps can use to show limited web content inside the app itself.
- If there is no dedicated browser installed, and no system-level handling for general links, WebView alone cannot just âopen linksâ from anywhere like SMS messages.
In a traditional smartphone SMS app, when you tap a link, the system usually needs to hand off the link to a browser app because thatâs the job of a full browser.
- Kompaktâs SMS app does not have built-in WebView handling for links inside messages, so tapping a link will fail or do nothing unless you sideload a browser.
- Even if WebView exists on the system (because other apps use it internally), it needs an app to âhostâ it for opening links.
For me, in my experience, WebView popped up automatically at the airport Wi-Fi login page, but it wonât behave the same for an SMS link.
- When you connect to Wi-Fi networks that require login (called âcaptive portalsâ), the system (the operating system) detects it and launches a tiny internal WebView window specifically to load the login page.
- Itâs a system-triggered behavior, not user-triggered.
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@urszula I still donât understand how links in SMS messages will be handled or what the recommended action would be.
What are you doing on your Kompakt when you receive a link in SMS?
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