Launching the Browser from within an iPhone application

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Rodney Aiglstorfer in Cocoa

It is sometimes nice to be able to launch a browser from within your applications. Though not as elegant as the use of a UIWebView, it is much easier.

NOTE Because it is possible for an application to bind itself to a URL (like Google Maps), this technique can also be used to launch other applications on the device.

Here is a simple example of how to open safari with a specific URL:

1 2	NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:@"http://www.iphonedevelopertips.com"]; [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];

Comments

12 Responses to “Launching the Browser from within an iPhone application”

Steve Wetherill says:

October 17, 2008 at 11:01 am

So can we launch the app store this way to a particular product page, for example?

Steve

[Reply]
Rodney Aiglstorfer says:

October 17, 2008 at 1:35 pm

In theory yes, though I’m not certain that Apple has published the URL scheme for that application. I’ll look into it and post back here if I can find anything. I can see how that would be useful … in particular if you wanted to promote other apps from another app.

[Reply]
Devesh says:

January 23, 2009 at 11:28 pm

How can I zoom UIWebView content like I am opening map on UIWebView then how can I zoom it?

[Reply]
aniruddha says:

March 10, 2009 at 2:05 am

hi,

can i test launching sms or calling some number using openURL in iphone simulator?

[Reply]
Rodney Aiglstorfer says:

March 10, 2009 at 11:29 am

@aniruddha You can’t test the SMS function that I am aware of because there is no SMS client in the emulator. You will have to test on a real device.

[Reply]
aniruddha says:

March 11, 2009 at 10:07 pm

@Rodney

Thanks for the comment.

[Reply]
Sean Herman says:

July 31, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Where do you put this and how do you call a button to launch it? Please help. Thank you!

[Reply]
Kevin Timm says:

November 12, 2009 at 1:05 am

So, it’s weird, but when I call that code, it launches the browser with two windows to the same site.

Any thoughts?

[Reply]
Jonathan Rogers says:

December 16, 2010 at 12:51 pm

I want to program an iPhone application that would monitor in real time for the incoming text from the phone number associated with my arduino/GSM Playground. Once the text is received the next step is for the background application to simulate a button press inside the Clifford smart start application and start the vehicle. Is it possible to have this application launch the clifford smart start application and simulate a button press?

[Reply]
John Muchow Reply:
December 16th, 2010 at 10:30 pm
Jonathan, unfortunately I don’t think what you are after is supported by any published API(s).

[Reply]
nikhilesh says:

September 12, 2011 at 5:59 am

this really helps me
and it is daam easy
thanks o(~_^)o

[Reply]
Thanh Hai says:

October 10, 2011 at 3:59 am

how to config for app call to other app?
example : [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:@"tel:1-408-555-5555"]];
=>how to app working?
just only need [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:@"tel:1-408-555-5555"]]; the app will be call?
please expalin for me

[Reply]