Default app used for email in iOS and iPadOS - what session?

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Created Jun ’20

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During the Platforms State of the Union, it was said that we could make our apps the "default app used for email in iOS and iPadOS".

I can't find the session where this will be discussed? Where is the appropriate lab for this? Is this forum the correct place to ask questions about it?

I need one of those nice Apple employees that stand at the entrance to the lab, telling me where I'm supposed to go to ask my question.

Answered by Rumple in 615801022

I just spoke with someone from the App launching and linking lab. At a high level, this is what I learned.

the documentation, etc isn't done yet, but they are working on it
there isn't a specific date when they will have the documentation completed. But certainly before iOS 14 release.
there is no session
like some other sensitive features, you have to get a special entitlement in order to be able to do this
send an email to default-app-requests@apple.com to have them review your app and grant you the entitlement
they will review your app to make sure that you are actually an email client, can send/receive emails and not a game, etc
your app can't have both the email client and web browser entitlement, you can do one or the other
the setting to switch which app is the default mailto handler doesn't show up until there is more than one choice on the system
the setting appears under the settings for the 3rd party app
there is a runtime check for the presence of the entitlement and that mailto: is handled
the mail client entitlement is set in the plist as com.apple.developer.mail-client=true
the web browser entitlement is set in the plist as com.apple.developer.web-browser=true
the web browser has to be able to handle both http and https requests, and a few other things
this should be possible in the current beta 1 code

If you have more questions, the Safari or Webkit labs might be able to help

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Answer 1

Rumple OP

Jun ’20

Accepted Answer

I just spoke with someone from the App launching and linking lab. At a high level, this is what I learned.

the documentation, etc isn't done yet, but they are working on it
there isn't a specific date when they will have the documentation completed. But certainly before iOS 14 release.
there is no session
like some other sensitive features, you have to get a special entitlement in order to be able to do this
send an email to default-app-requests@apple.com to have them review your app and grant you the entitlement
they will review your app to make sure that you are actually an email client, can send/receive emails and not a game, etc
your app can't have both the email client and web browser entitlement, you can do one or the other
the setting to switch which app is the default mailto handler doesn't show up until there is more than one choice on the system
the setting appears under the settings for the 3rd party app
there is a runtime check for the presence of the entitlement and that mailto: is handled
the mail client entitlement is set in the plist as com.apple.developer.mail-client=true
the web browser entitlement is set in the plist as com.apple.developer.web-browser=true
the web browser has to be able to handle both http and https requests, and a few other things
this should be possible in the current beta 1 code

If you have more questions, the Safari or Webkit labs might be able to help

2

Answer 2

Maoko OP

Jun ’20

This is great news. thanks

0