Old Android WebView (74.x) --> update needed, ideas?

General
#1

Hello Community,.

Since a week or so, one of the few Android apps I use…my banking app(Rabobank) states that I need to update Android System WebView.
When looking into this issue, I noticed that it is indeed quite old(74.0.xxx).
It tried upgrading(wont work) and installing new versions(beta and canary) which works, but I’m unable to change the default WebView in Android developers(you can switch to another WebView normally) settings because (I think) this: https://github.com/bromite/bromite/wiki/Installing-SystemWebView
(not allowed in res\xml\config_webview_packages.xml in Android framework-res.apk )

Anybody any ideas?
Thank you in advance!

–Mark

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Community meeting on IRC 11th January 2024
#2

Also interesting to me. I use the fast and slim FOSS Browser, which is running on the built-in Android Web View engine. Often, websites giving me an error message because of outdated Web View version or simply didn’t work.

So would be very helpful to update the engine, for example with Bromite or the recent stock version.

1 Like
#3

App works again in 4.5.

#4

SFOS 4.5 comes with updated 83.0.x Android webview engine. Now FOSS browser works with native webview dark mode. That’s a pretty cool feature.

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#5

Tutanota app is not working anymore due to the currently too old version of Webview.

More and more apps start failing/breaking because of this.

We need an update of Webview to a more recent version urgently.

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#6

Yes, version 83 released with Jolla’s Android 11 runtime is from June 10, 2020.
It’s being used by more and more apps, and this will cause more and more issues.
Android 11 itself is absolutely fine for the coming years, but if it’s stuck on old Android WebView 83 or older it will limit usability severely.

There should be a(preferably easy) way to update Android WebView separate from Jolla’s Android runtime images.

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#7

Same issue here, also Tutanota app (secure email, unfortunately only usable with their apps) not working for me anymore.
Tried to update Webview with Aurora Store but get an error that a “Trichrome” library is not available which is a known bug of AuroraStore (see Unable to update Google Chrome | Webview (#346) · Issues · Aurora OSS / AuroraStore · GitLab).
I also tried to install Trichrome library and Webview via APKs from apkmirror.com but no luck so far. They get installed without error but are not recognized by the system.

Can not run android apps that use realm (e.g. Element) after updating to 4.5
#8

Tiny update, but still no real progress: to install WebView from AuroraStore you need to install exact same version of trichromelibrary, e.g. downloaded from apkmirror.com
For me it was both version 110.0.5481.153 (548115330). So now I have two versions of WebView installed. The old default of AlienDalvik (version 83…) and the installed version from AuroraStore. But still no chance to choose using the latter. Android apps are still using the old version.

#9

@nasi : I also tried that, see first post.
Switching WebView is not allowed in res\xml\config_webview_packages.xml in Android framework-res.apk . Maybe the method(Bromite, or just the official Android WebView Beta or Canary) in the link can also be used to make in work in the Jolla Android image, but I did not try because it seems quite a hassle.
I did however look which WebViews ARE allowed(see “Verifying allowed SystemWebView packages”), and there were none(only the default supplied).
It would be very helpful if Jolla could make this stuff easier.

#10

Arrgh, right. Seems like in the time between reading your post, trying it myself and writing my own post I already forgot what you’ve written. Excuse me please!

#11

Still webview 83 (2020) on Sailfish 4.6 …

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#12

Thanks for testing and sharing. Even if it is unfortunately very disappointing.

#13

Yeah newer 90+ webview is coming, but not without problems. You can follow development here Gecko-dev Diary

#14

This topic is about Android System Webview for Android App Support, not Sailfish webview.

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#15

Oh, did not know about that, I have always had latest Android Firefox with ad blocker and used “open in browser” which opened the browser app. :sweat_smile:

#16

Firefox uses it’s own rendering engine of course, but Android Webview(Chromium) is used by other Android applications that use web en/or video components in Android(so it’s used a lot). Some applications check for the webview version, like banking applications, and then refuse to work, which is actually very good because of numerous security issues that are in WebView.

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#17

Not completely sure about this thing but for me looks like Firefox is used to view in-app web pages: IKEA, Lidl and Snapchat at least

ffx
ffx1080×1171 62.8 KB

#18

Of course an app could include it’s own browser runtime/framerwork. Firefox isn’t included in the Jolla supplied Android runtime.
This could also be the case on Desktop OS, where for example electron is included.

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#19

Parts of ING Banking app have stopped working for me a week ago, which persisted through the update. I found other users having this problem and the solution was to update webview, which I cannot do.
I really hope next SFOS will update that, as I can’t use the most important features of my banking app, and will now have to carry a spare Android phone.

#20

You’re in luck:

Not that i’d touch a banking app with a 10 meter pole…

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