Stream: general

Topic: Mobile usage

Andrew Patton (Sep 19 2024 at 14:02):

how are folks using Zulia on mobile? from a browser? added to the home screen? from an app? i found a Zulip app on the iOS app store but the screenshot (there’s only one) makes it look pretty awful. but maybe it’s just out of date?

i’m finding the mobile web version a little hard to use. this is my second time writing this message because in my first attempt, i somehow tapped something that made the compose box go away and be replaced by a different topic and i couldn’t find any drafts. and in general, i’ve had a few accidental taps that have taken me away from what i was doing unexpectedly.

Jerod Santo (Sep 19 2024 at 14:09):

I'm using the iOS app from the store. It certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but hopefully their big rewrite(s) are coming along pretty soon :folded_hands:

Owen Valentine (Sep 19 2024 at 14:18):

Android version seems alright. Not sure about iOS but if they're the same then should be workable :shrug:

Owen Valentine (Sep 19 2024 at 14:20):

Yeah, looks like Android and iOS are effectively the same. Google Play has a few more screenshots at least: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zulipmobile

Andrew O'Brien (Sep 19 2024 at 14:21):

Yeah, functionally speaking it works fine. I haven’t found anything I can’t do in the app.

I agree that the design could use a touch up. I don’t know what I’d change, but that’s why I’m not a designer.

Caleb Fong (Sep 19 2024 at 14:48):

The mobile web is fine. The biggest challenge I have with it is the touch targets are on the small side. Leads to accidental touches and missed buttons.

Jeff Henson (Sep 19 2024 at 14:49):

I don't like apps so I've been using the mobile site in Firefox on Android. I really like that it works since you can't access Slack on mobile without the app but it's definitely a little clunky.

• While scrolling through a topic, it will randomly think you clicked on a message and open the compose box which takes over most of the screen.
• Long topic titles are nearly impossible to read as the only way I've found to have it show me the whole title is to open compose box and scroll left/right in the topic text box.
• If you click on an image, it's loaded in a modal but without any history/navigation handling so hitting the back key causes it to navigate away from the topic.

Regardless, I'm just happy that I can even use it on my phone (vs Slack were I couldn't).

Owen Valentine (Sep 19 2024 at 14:55):

Could always take a stab at their TUI in Termux or some such :P

Owen Valentine (Sep 19 2024 at 14:56):

Given this issue: https://github.com/zulip/zulip-terminal/issues/1467
Someone's already doing Termux :D

Dustin (Sep 19 2024 at 15:58):

The primary thing I wish on mobile is, like on desktop, to include all topics in a channel in the initial view. The fact that you have to go into a channel and then click the … to see all channels isn’t very discoverable

Dustin (Sep 19 2024 at 15:58):

Especially if you’re trying to refer back to a topic you were already speaking in but there’s no new messages

Ricky Hussmann (Sep 19 2024 at 16:05):

Dustin said:

The primary thing I wish on mobile is, like on desktop, to include all topics in a channel in the initial view. The fact that you have to go into a channel and then click the … to see all channels isn’t very discoverable

Thanks for articulating something I was feeling but had assumed I was trying to bring idioms from other chat clients to this one.

Alberto Luna (Sep 19 2024 at 17:40):

I am using the experimental flutter app on Android (Zulip beta)
I think most of the functionality is completely missing, for me it is fine because I mostly just use inbox to read and not much more.
If what they have in the Play Store is not a super old build I think it will still take some months to get all the functionality.

Notification Bot (Sep 22 2024 at 22:00):

2 messages were moved from this topic to #general > desktop app (Zulip) by Philip Durbin.

Last updated: Dec 12 2024 at 15:17 UTC