In this article we will discuss opening web-pages and external links inside your mobile app on iOS (Apple devices).
In this article we will cover:
Understanding external links within your mobile app
Understanding external links within your mobile app
In your event you may have multiple external links, these could be; links to sponsors' websites, links to materials stored externally, or information on an external page that users need to see. Within an iOS app there are two ways you open links. The first way takes you to an external browser (when users opt-out of web page tracking). The second way opens within the application, this is called Webview (When users opt-in to web page tracking). Opening an external link within an application leads to a smoother user experience, whereas opening it in an external browser leads to people leaving the application resulting in a drop off in users.
Why we made this change
We made this change due to Apple's user privacy and data use changes on all iOS devices. We always stay up to date with regulation changes. Here is the link to Apple's article on user privacy and data use to better understand why we had to make this change.
What does this mean for you?
Of course, users may opt-out of tracking across web pages and this is something users have full control over, but we would always encourage users to opt-in (as seen in the gif below) so they have a seamless in-app experience when clicking links within an event, resulting in less user drop-off within your app. Users can change their preferences at anytime by navigating to their settings (as shown in the gif below). As stated above, we encourage all app users to opt-in. These features are automatically enabled so you do not need to activate anything and are iOS (Apple) only. Important note, you cannot force a user to opt-in and this has to be a decision made and completed by them.
FAQ
What about Android?
Android opens all pages in web-view by default without requesting any permissions.
Do we need to enable this feature on the dashboard?
No. This is enabled automatically.
Can user opt-in after they have opted out?
Yes.
When do users have the ability to opt-in or opt-out?
Users will be prompted to opt-in or opt-out when clicking an external link for the first time. They can also go into their settings and update their preferences at anytime.
Why is a user unable to opt-in under the privacy policy page?
There are a few reasons why a user may not be able to opt-in under the privacy policy page:
1. The users’ iOS app is not on the latest version.
2. The privacy settings are blocking the opt-in request on a device level. The user needs to go to: Settings > Privacy > Tracking and make sure that “Allow Apps to Request to Track” toggle is enabled (article here).
3. The user has previously declined the opt-in request in the app, so they are not seeing it anymore when they open web pages in the app. They can go to Settings > App Name and make sure “Allow tracking” is enabled.