Do you still remember? About a year ago, Google shipped a buggy app update that ended in disaster. This process was almost unique because the error had a direct impact on many popular Android apps. They immediately crashed for no apparent reason, rendering them unusable. Users were initially shocked and at the same time helpless – until we could help.
The reason for the error was the Android System Webview. This is the basis for in-app browsers, which can be found in many apps today. They allow links to be opened directly in an app without having to use the system’s full browser. In any case, there was a faulty update for the Android System Webview and it landed extremely quickly on many devices worldwide.
The problem was so noticeable that apps with the integrated Android system Webview always crashed immediately. For example, anyone who used the train app was unable to buy tickets or view departure times. If users wanted to start the app, it closed almost as quickly due to the error. A quick solution was to reset the Webview app to an older version.
Google crashes apps on tens of millions of Android smartphones
I think it may still have been the post that gave us the highest number of clicks of all time. Which suggests that an extremely large number of people were affected. No other hype topic could ever keep up. In any case, the topic continued to haunt the web for a few days because the error correction provided by Google was quickly available, but didn’t end up on every device as quickly.
Google should have been warned that the group should no longer make such a blatant mistake. But if it isn’t like this before, and it shouldn’t be in the future either. Of course, what was interesting for us was the effect when an important system app fails or causes errors, what a blatant effect that can have. And what active influence Google has on the Android world.