
Google Search now indexes iOS 9 apps with deep links - espeed
http://venturebeat.com/2015/10/09/google-search-now-indexes-ios-9-apps-with-deep-links-safari-will-show-app-content-by-end-of-the-month/
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orf
In the apple developer docs[1] on deep linking it says " When users install
your app, iOS checks a file that you’ve uploaded to your web server to make
sure that your website allows your app to open URLs on its behalf".

Is this a good thing? Seems like there might be privacy implications?

1\.
[https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/ios/documenta...](https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/ios/documentation/General/Conceptual/AppSearch/UniversalLinks.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016308-CH12)

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peteretep
Is there a bigger privacy implication than the app itself phoning home when
you open it?

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orf
Sure, but this happens when the user installs it rather than opens it.

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untog
They've been doing this with Android for a while and to be honest, it
irritates me. If a Guardian article is in my results, tapping it will open the
Guardian app, with a an option in much smaller text to use the web site.

That said, I and most other Hacker News users are oddities. I'd be interested
to see if the average user likes this or not.

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pgodzin
Why do you have the Guardian app if you prefer to read their articles on the
web? I think Google reasonably expects that if the app exists on the device,
it is the preferable option.

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untog
Because it caches articles offline in the background.

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tdkl
Am I safe if I don't have the Google Search and/or Chrome app installed ? I
choose not to want any "deep linking" and "Google".

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TomAnthony
'Deep linking' is actually just URLs that open an App at a particular screen.
There is not much you can do to prevent that. Android and iOS both have
support for deep linking.

I think you mean more 'app indexing' as your concern. I am not an Android user
so am not sure exactly what options you have for disabling things there. In
iOS you can go 'General'->'Spotlight Search' and disable stuff there.

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tdkl
I'm an iOS user, but was concerned about the "deep linking" to be what you
described as "app indexing", since I wouldn't want that to be on as default.

Thanks for describing it to me, instead the down votes, which I'm not sure
what they were for since I was sincerely asking a question. Maybe my personal
choice wasn't pleasing for others.

