952778 - app.nytimes.com does not support Firefox for Android

Status: NEW

(Web Compatibility :: Mobile, defect, P5)

Description

[Sam Tobin-Hochstadt [:samth]]

See http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/mobile/todays-paper/todays-paper.html#browser

Comment 1

[Karl Dubost💡 :karlcow]

Emulating Firefox Android on desktop, I get the message

> Your browser is not supported – to log in 
> or install this app, we recommend you 
> download the latest version of Chrome. 
> For more details on supported devices and 
> browsers, please visit our FAQ.

On the samsung device itself, I get a slightly different message.

> This version of Today's paper does not
> yet support smartphone usage. For more 
> details on supported devices and 
> browsers, please visit our FAQ.

Same message for Firefox OS on ZTE
Same message for iOS Safari on iPod
Same message for Opera Mobile (Presto) on Samsung GT
Same message for UCWeb on Samsung GT
Same message for Android Stock Browser on Samsung GT

The issue here is not about Firefox but Mobile versus Tablet.

Likely to move to invalid, except if someone can test on an actual tablet with Firefox Android and/or Firefox OS.

Comment 2

[Mike Taylor [:miketaylr]]

Visiting app.nytimes.com in Firefox for Android (tablet, Nexus 7) I get the same message that Karl got when spoofing.

> Your browser is not supported – to log in 
> or install this app, we recommend you 
> download the latest version of Chrome. 
> For more details on supported devices and 
> browsers, please visit our FAQ.

From, https://gist.github.com/miketaylr/8741760#file-app-min-js-L10181-L10185

From the FAQ linked in one of the errors,


"3. What browser should I use to access Today’s Paper?
Back to top

We recommend that you use one of the following browsers, based on your device:

    Chrome: Android tablet, iPad with iOS 7.0 or later, Mac desktop, PC desktop
    Safari: iPad with iOS 7.0 or later, Mac desktop (Safari 6.0 or later)
    Internet Explorer: Windows tablet, PC desktop (Internet Explorer 10.0 or later)

It is also possible to access the web app using one of these browsers:

    Chrome: iPad with iOS 6.0 or later
    Firefox: Mac desktop, PC desktop
    Safari: iPad with iOS 6.0 or later

The app is not currently compatible with Firefox on any tablet, and is also not currently compatible with the default browser on Android tablets (such as Silk on Kindle Fire devices)."

Now, I wonder why Firefox is not compatible...

Comment 3

[Mike Taylor [:miketaylr]]

Strange that Desktop Firefox is supported but Firefox for Android (tablet) isn't. I don't have a NYTimes account, so I can't do much testing.

If anyone does have an account, you can get around the roadblock by visiting http://app.nytimes.com/?allowDevice (https://gist.github.com/miketaylr/9095795#file-gistfile1-txt-L15).

Karl, I would recommend reaching out to NYTimes and asking what reasons they have for only supporting the Chrome browser on Android (especially since Firefox Desktop is supported). It could be that they know about certain bugs (or it could just be a business decision).

Comment 4

[Adam Stevenson [:adamopenweb]]

Going to wake this one up since contactready is still set. I noticed in bug 843137 that Alastair Coote was able to get a fix. Let's needsinfo and see if he can help.

Comment 5

[Karl Dubost💡 :karlcow]

We still get the same message. Alastair has not replied here yet. Not sure he has seen that bug.

When we emulate Chrome Mobile UA, we get the login prompt.

Comment 6

[Karl Dubost💡 :karlcow]

These are parts of the bug I wonder if we should put them as WONTFIX.

Comment 7

[Alastair Coote]

Apologies, I didn't see this before.

I am no longer on the team that worked on Today's Paper but will forward this on - if I recall, it currently does not support smartphones, and I think it assumes that Firefox on mobile will be either FFOS or Firefox on an Android phone - not on a tablet.

Comment 8

[Karl Dubost💡 :karlcow]

Still the same as of today.
Still not sure the effort is worth.

Comment 9

[Karl Dubost💡 :karlcow]

A duplicate again https://webcompat.com/issues/3020

Comment 10

[Firefox Bug Husbandry Bot]

See bug 1547409. Moving webcompat whiteboard tags to keywords.

Comment 11

[Oana Arbuzov [:oanaarbuzov]]

The issue is still reproducible:
Tablet: https://prnt.sc/zlKechXf3cLF
Phone: https://prnt.sc/G_ICqXlycyLb

Tested with:
Browser / Version: Firefox Nightly 100.0a1 (🦎 100.0a1-20220323094932)
Operating System: Huawei MediaPad T5 (Android 8.0.0) - 1920 x 1200 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~224 ppi density), Google Pixel 5 (Android 12) - 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~432 ppi density)