I have an app that need to run in a certain device, but device where I have to install my app has a custom device with android 7.1.2 without google services, and its webview version 56. So all I get starting the app is a black screen.
I haven’t found a way to effectively update the webview on the device. Even if I install a newer version, no matter what I try, the app just calling the version 56 instead of the updated version.
The system basically installs the newer version, however for all intents and purposes, it only reckonizes the original version as the de facto webview.
I’ve looked through ways of making the update work, some included trying to forcefully stop or remove the original, however the original doesn’t even show up as an app in a list.
I want to know If there’s a way of making sure the app uses the newer version installed instead of the older one.
There was this post that looked similar in the forum, however, without a good solution:
Android 7 is supposed to use Chrome as the WebView. Is your Chrome version up to date?
From the device, you should be able to change the WebView if you have more than one installed, in Developer Options > WebView implementation. (try installing Google Chrome Canary, Beta or Dev version and see if they appear on the list)
The device does not come with chrome or google services, only with its own webview, that I rechecked and it isn’t 56, but 52.
It doesn’t matter what I install, it does not show up on the WebView Implementation.
The only option on the list is Android WebView, and it doesn’t even show up in the apps list.
I’ve tried installing what you sugested, but it stayed the same.
That’s why I’m trying to see if it’s possible the manually choose an app to serve as an webview, or maybe even if it’s possible to bundle it together in the app.
The size would probably get quite big, but it should at least work.
If you have installed a newer Chrome and it doesn’t show up in the Developer Options > WebView implementation, then there is nothing you can do, that device changed the OS to not let users to update the WebView.
I’ve heard that Meta has created their own WebView that they ship in Facebook app and other apps they create can use it instead of the default WebView, but as far as I know, other developers can’t do the same yet and I don’t think the WebView is public for shipping it with your own app.
So technically is possible to do it, but not really, unless you want to create your own WebView, and if you do that Capacitor won’t work as it expects the system WebView.