How to wrap a website in a phone app?

Question

I have seen a lot of mobile phone apps that just open a web page without the controls. Just the page.

I am looking for guidance and links to start something simple like this.

Solution 1

If I understand what you're asking for, on Windows Phone 7 you cannot get such an application approved in the Microsoft Marketplace. Section 2.10 of the Application Certification Requirements for Windows Phone says "Your application must have distinct, substantial and legitimate content and purpose. Your application must provide functionality other than launching a webpage."

A colleague of mine recently had a similar style application rejected by Apple for just that reason.

I think that on both platforms you may have been able to get these kinds of applications accepted in the past, but no longer.

Solution 2

If you would like to wrap a website in Android you may do so with this code, from Roskvist

package com.webview;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.Window;
import android.webkit.WebView;

public class WebViewTest extends Activity {

    WebView browserView;
    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        //Removes the title bar in the application
        requestWindowFeature(Window.FEATURE_NO_TITLE);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);

        //Creation of the Webview found in the XML Layout file
        browserView = (WebView)findViewById(R.id.webkit);

        //Enable Javascripts
        browserView.getSettings().setJavaScriptEnabled(true);

        //Removes both vertical and horizontal scroll bars 
        browserView.setVerticalScrollBarEnabled(false);
        browserView.setHorizontalScrollBarEnabled(false);

        //The website which is wrapped to the webview
        browserView.loadUrl("http://dev.openlayers.org/sandbox/camptocamp
        /mobile/trunk/examples/iol-iui.html?rev=9962#_map");

    }
}

And here's the main.xml contents

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    >
<WebView  
    android:id = "@+id/webkit"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
    android:layout_height="fill_parent" 

    />
</RelativeLayout>

You would then have to compile and load it to your device via USB.

Solution 3

For iOS/iPhone, you can encapsulate a web app or web page inside an app's bundle, and display the site inside a full-height UIWebView. To add non-HTML5 features (which may be required for Apple to approve the app for their App store distribution), you can trap custom URLs via the shouldStartLoadWithRequest: delegate method and handle them with native Object C code.

Solution 4

For android, you will want to use a WebView.

Solution 5

There's a lot of general information out there in regards to Regular Webapps vs hybrid apps (web but designed for mobile) vs mobile apps (client software). What you're probably looking for is just typical HTML5 or mobile compliant web code.

For android, this is a good read: http://developer.android.com/guide/webapps/index.html

View more solutions

Comments

[djmj]

What about an hybrid aproach? Having a left menu with some filtering options of an online-shop invoking a new request using get or post. Or saving login informations in the app and setting the web session on startup?

[Visual Stuart]

Here's an updated link for the requirements. This is still section 2.10 so read that carefully. Caching login credentials does not seem to me to be distinct content or purpose. In general, I would advise against trying to cut corners or get too "cute" when meeting application guidelines. Make it a true hybrid app and you are probably good, a superficial hybrid is going to be a tough sell. msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/…

[tupakapoor]

Google Play doesn't approve apps.

[Sandwich]

Indeed, as stated in the last line of this answer "Google Play would be unlikely to approve such an app."

[tupakapoor]

That statement, "Google Play would be unlikely to approve such an app.", implies Google Play would disprove of such an app. Therefore implying that it wouldn't be able to be in the store. Google Play would be unlikely to approve ANY app, because they don't approve apps. There is no approval process.

[Sandwich]

Ah, when this was written, Google Play had "Quality Guidelines" and at the time an app like this did not meet them. Thanks for the information

[Atan]

Here is Apples position to simple web wrappers: developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/…