Public Mobile App?

[Public506]

Just wondering if Public has any plans to make an app? Easy to access the website, but some may like the option to manage an account through a dedicated app.

Thank you! 🙂 

[srlawren]

@softech valid question that to be honest I'm afraid to say I hadn't considered.  I can't say for sure.  I do know they use Android WebView behind the scenes, which is a Google-provided component for developers to embed mobile web content into their applications.  I cannot say whether or not it would be possible for it to capture keystrokes and harvest your passwords.  I can say that it's been around for about 7 years (source: a 1-year old interview where the developer says that "Several million users have downloaded Hermit over the last six years." https://localazy.com/blog/interview-hermit-lite-apps-browser-android-localazy).  I would think that if there were issues, with that long of a timespan and that many users, that it would have come to light by now.  But again, I can't say for sure they aren't there silently undetected. 

One possible area of concern for some is that they are not open source, meaning there is no public code scrutiny; they claim fear of being cloned by unscrupulous devs whom would load up with ads and malware as the reason https://chimbori.com/help/source-code).  That said, most apps most of us interact with most of the time are proprietary/closed source.  Tinfoil types may insist on open-sourced apps only?  I don't personally.

You may also want to refer to the developer's published comparison chart comparing it to Chrome and Firefox https://hermit.chimbori.com/features/compare.  They have several features baked in ad-blocking and sandboxed containers (I think this one is premium only mind you) that can help to protect your privacy and identity.  To go to all that trouble only to secretly be using the tool to harvest passwords isn't out of the question but would seem rather self-defeating.  

That's about all I can offer up as discussion points.  If anyone knows better what WebView does and does not allow a client app to do and can clear up if the capability exists to capture keystrokes in an embedded page, that would probably help clarify the situation here.

[softech]

Hi @srlawren is this safe?  just worry password has to pass through the app

But honestly, the site is now more mobile friendly,  we might not need am browser wrapper app

[darlicious]

@srlawren 

Lol....you really don't understand how technologically challenged I really am?!! However I have finally set up the new tablet that has replaced the old one that tossed on the bed out of frustration that unfortunately landed on a bottle of wine that I had forgotten was in my bag and I had intended to put in the fridge.......one well placed hairline crack across the screen killed the tablet. One day I may take up the challenge but for now I want to ensure the new tablet stays in one piece at least until I get a screen protector and a case for it.😬

[srlawren]

---

@darlicious wrote:

But thank you for your thread....this stuff is way above my pay grade!!🤑🤪😂

---

@darlicious did you try it?  It's not difficult at all.  The developers of Hermit Lite (the app I used in that thread) do all the hard work.  All you really need to do is paste or type in the URL and tap a few buttons.  There's optional stuff like setting up a theme and app icon and all that but not at all required to get up and running.  The basic scenario should be under 5 mins of work including downloading Hermit Lite from the Play Store.

[darlicious]

@srlawren 

Your welcome! Your thread is detailed enough that anyone with a keen interest and some computer skills ( not me) could create a clever pm "app". So far no one yet has really done that or shared that they have? Since I think we can be pretty confident that pm will never have an app putting the info into the hands of anyone who asks for an app might eventually produce a prototype using the workaround your thread extols. Maybe one day....?🤔

But thank you for your thread....this stuff is way above my pay grade!!🤑🤪😂

[srlawren]

---

@darlicious wrote:

@Public506 

There are no plans for an app....I certainly hope not as pm has to spend all IT funds on fixing their glitchy website as it was recently relaunched as more mobile and user friendly....but I think they spent more on the colorful designs on the self serve accounts than the software design to run the accounts?!!🤫😀😆😁

But you can make your own pm app if you want to....it's all here in this thread by @srlawren.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Very-Partial-workaround-for-lack-of-PM-Mo...

---

@darlicious thanks for sharing and for the attribution, much appreciated.  🙂  That thread is now pretty long in the tooth but the technique is still sound.  Things may (will) just look a bit different today between Hermit Lite app updates and PM's updates to the community and self-serve sites.  But it all works.

[Public506]

well, that said, I am 'use to' having an app. Doesn't mean it's required. Tbh, the simplicity of Public compared to my old provider is great so far, and the value for money. I'm sure I'll get use to it, and more space free on my device! 

[softech]

@Public506   Telus is not a company that believe in App a lot

Koodo used to have it too but they kill it like couple years ago

And with My Account now Mobile friendly site, you can in fact just create a shortcut and let it save on the Home screen, it will be very much like an app that way

[darlicious]

@Public506 

There are no plans for an app....I certainly hope not as pm has to spend all IT funds on fixing their glitchy website as it was recently relaunched as more mobile and user friendly....but I think they spent more on the colorful designs on the self serve accounts than the software design to run the accounts?!!🤫😀😆😁

But you can make your own pm app if you want to....it's all here in this thread by @srlawren.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Very-Partial-workaround-for-lack-of-PM-Mo...

[Metal1967]

@Public506  Question has been asked for years.. not likely to ever happen