Summary
Apps Management covers the ability for users to add, remove and modify applications that are installed on their device. A application life cycle can be described in 3 phases:
- Application Installation
- Application usage and management
- Application removal
Application Installation
Applications can be installed from a number of different sources:
Web
Apps can be installed from websites, so long as they conform to B2G / Open Web App standards.
Marketplaces
Apps can be installed from Marketplaces, whether Mozilla's official version or third-party.
Shipped
Gaia devices will come preloaded with apps. These apps will fall into two classifications: locked, and unlocked.
- Locked: cannot be uninstalled. Reasons can include security, adherence to regulations, user privacy, device operability, etc. Current locked apps include:
- Home screen
- Dialer
- Messaging
- Camera
- Contacts
- Unlocked: can be un-installed.
Application use and management
Requirements
- the ability to change the layout position of the application icon on the home screen / application menu
- the ability to easily change the application settings
- through a common applications settings menu within the device settings
- through the application itself
- or combination of the above two
- applications should only have 1 icon and no other dependencies and delivered in a single package.
- can work offline without relying on internet connection
- the ability to easily change the application settings
Exposing application data
- the ability to make application data searchable and accessible from other apps
- the ability to application that can act as service to other applications
Home screen visibility
- have the ability to update it's icon with live application data. for e.g.:
- Weather application icon should show current weather condition for current locale
- Messages application should be able to display number of messages unread.
Detriments
- app manifest does not have support for exposing app data or services
- security implications of inter-application operability
Application removal
- User prompts to verify removal of application and application data
- removing and adding applications should be very easy and done in as few steps as possible and leave no remnants.