How do Push Notifications work for PWAs?

For the Push notifications to work on a PWA, you do not have to register or log in to the app. Once you open a PWA, a pop-up window asks for permission to send push notifications. If the user allows it, the notification setting is saved in the default browser installed on the device.

Note: See the screenshot below in the next table row

For example, if you use the Google Chrome browser on your android device, and you accept to receive push notifications, Chrome displays the push notifications that the PWA sends.

As long as that default browser is installed on the device, the push notifications keep showing. You do not need the app to be installed. 

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Why is there a second pop-up/notification message for push notifications in PWAs?

• The first notification is built into the app with the No Thanks and Notify Me buttons:

  

• The second notification is from the browser (the notification may vary depending on the browser you are using e.g location-based notification):

  

Once the user clicks the Notify Me button, the information it generates is passed on to the browser. The browser will ask for permission again to ensure that the notifications settings are configured on the browser.

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Can PWAs be optimized for desktop versions?

Our main objective is to develop applications for mobile devices. We do our best to optimize them accordingly. If you open a PWA on a desktop browser, the layout is displayed differently due to mobile optimization.

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What is the difference between an HTML5 app and a PWA?

For an HTML5 app to be considered a PWA, it needs to meet specific requirements. The PWA upgrade to our HTML5 software brings all of these features, such as:

• push notifications

• improved speeds

• home screen installation support

• offline caching

• performance improvements

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Do you need Internet access to use a PWA?

PWAs can work in low-connectivity areas by caching specific characteristics for offline accessibility. However, similar to our native applications, the Internet access is necessary for dynamic content.

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What are the available features of PWAs?

• Check the Feature List for iOS Android and PWA KB article to see a list of the features that are currently available for PWAs.

• iOS devices receive the push notifications from PWAs, but they do not notify the device. They show up in the app's messages feature. Full support is still in the works with Apple.

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Do geofence/location Push Notifications work on PWAs? 

• PWAs do not support geofence notifications, which means it is supported on iOS apps from the App Store or Private App Stores (PAS), including Android apps from the Google Play Store.

• Also, geofence push notifications are only available on apps that belong to the Gold, Platinum Reseller, and Individual plans. The feature is not included in the Standard Reseller plan.

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Can Google Analytics be integrated into PWAs?

Are we going to have access to app analytics?

At this point, we have our own built-in analytics system, which we plan to use moving forward.

Yes! Analytics for our PWAs are already enabled and available within the Analytics section of your dashboard (HTML5).

Check the Introduction to App Analytics KB article for more information.

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Do I need a developer account to publish PWAs?

No, you do not need to have Google or Apple developer accounts for publishing PWA apps

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Is my PWA secure?

• To become a true PWA, the URL needs to have an SSL certificate. This means your URL must start with HTTPS. 

• Currently, we have a URL that anyone can use. Support will be provided to our clients who wish to purchase their own certificate and use their subdomain URL.

• To access your PWA, add your AppCode to the common URL using the following format: https://webapp.mobileappco.org/m/<AppCode>

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Why would a client want a PWA instead of an iOS app?

• For clients who want to diverge from the traditional app store, PWAs are more user-friendly and are easier to launch and adapt. PWAs give you the same experience you get from iOS and Android mobile apps without the added friction, download, headache, and costs.

• One of the biggest benefits of using PWAs is increased discoverability. While apps can be easily lost in the hustle and bustle of the iTunes App Store, PWA apps can be found via web search engines.

• Additionally, PWAs are linkable/shareable. They also have low data requirements. On top of that, PWAs improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and do not require updates.

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Are PWAs a step forward from native mobile apps?

• PWAs are a step forward from the native mobile app. They have all the benefits of a downloadable app, without the friction that comes with it.

• PWAs can be built faster at a lower cost. The price that you can sell PWAs will be determined by the value you can drive for your business rather than the cost it takes to create them. For example, PWAs can be used to increase customer loyalty and engagement, bring in new customers via easy discoverability, and make sales through the app. The end price should be the same as the value it gives.

• The only difference is that PWAs do not appear in the App Store. You could arguably say that these drive a higher return on investment because the reduced friction allows for a wider audience of people to adopt them.

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How can I test the new PWAs?

Any app that you have built on the BiznessApps platform already has a progressive mobile app version available. All you need to do is to publish the app as a web app to receive your progressive mobile app.

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