deep-linking

• Apps & Updates
• Google
• Apps and Updates
• Apple
• search
• Safari

Google’s app indexing links coming to Safari on iOS by end of month

Google first introduced app indexing for iOS apps in search back in May, allowing in-app content to appear in search results with links that send users directly to an app. The feature was originally only available in the Google app and Chrome browser, but now Google is launching an updated version of the framework that will make the app links also appear in Google search results in Safari.

Getting your app content found on Google just got easier. App Indexing is now compatible with HTTP deep link standards for iOS 9, as it has been on Android from the beginning. That means that you can start getting your app content into the Search results page on Safari in iOS, simply by adding Universal Links to your iOS app, then integrating with our SDK.

Developers simply need to support the Universal Links standard to get their apps to show up in search results. Users will begin to see the app indexing links showing up in Safari on iOS by the end October.

Devs can read more on how to support the feature here.

• Apps & Updates
• Android
• Google
• Apps and Updates
• podcasts
• deep-linking

Player FM integrates Subscribe on Android for easily subscribing to podcasts

Player FM released version 2.6.4 of its podcast player to Google Play today, bringing with it integration of the Subscribe on Android protocol. The protocol was created to “give Android listeners the same One Click subscription experience that iOS and iTunes users have.” Basically, once you have Player FM installed, any raw XML podcast feed URLs you click will launch to Player FM where you can then subscribe to the podcast to get new episodes automatically downloaded as they’re published. It’s basically like deeplinking but works with far more URLs than deeplinking traditionally can, and is less convenient than Android app intents.

Deeplinking is a way through which constellations of apps can become more interconnected by quickly and seamlessly moving users between one another when specific links are pressed. And while Android M is bringing with it improved app linking so links from anywhere, not just from within a developer’s own apps, can launch to an app without needing to open the intents menu, this won’t work for URLs that aren’t owned by the developer. Feed URLs for podcasts found from around the web won’t just seamlessly open to your favorite podcast app, but with an app that uses Subscribe on Android like Player FM, they can. Mostly, at least, as Feedburner podcast feeds don’t seem to work.

You can get Player FM on the Play Store for free.