14 DAY TRIAL // One of the changes that Microsoft will implement in Windows 10 Mobile with the Redstone update concerns how links are handled by the operating system and the company is working on a feature that would give users the possibility of opening websites with apps.
Screenshots coming from an unreleased version of Windows 10 Mobile show a new option that lets “associate apps with websites,” making it easier to launch dedicated apps should you choose so when accessing services whose apps are already installed on your device.
“Some websites can be opened by an app or a browser. Turn off an app to open the websites with a browser. Your browser is the only installed app that can open websites,” the description of the new option placed in the settings screen reads.
Coming in a preview build very soon
In case you’re trying to find a purpose for this new feature, just think that you can instantly launch corresponding apps when loading websites that are already offering a mobile app. For instance, you can load eBay in your browser and have the app automatically fired up, so this is quite a helpful feature if you aim for a smoother experience on mobile.
The problem that Microsoft needs to address right now continues to be the lack of apps, so this feature only makes sense when online services are actually offering solutions on Windows 10 Mobile devices.
Similar features already exist on rival smartphone platforms, where you are prompted to launch the dedicated apps when visiting services that have already developed dedicated tools for Android and iOS.
It goes without saying that this is a welcome addition to the Windows 10 Mobile arsenal, but as mentioned, it’ll only land for consumers with the Anniversary Update in the summer. It should be included in a preview build sometime in the coming weeks in order to let insiders try it out and help Microsoft test and improve it before the public launch.