Notes - Fugu Community Monthly sync EMEA friendly (May 19, 2025)

[Vincent Scheib]

Summary: Microsoft staffing changes, PWA project check-ins, Google IO focus on AI, and how PWAs can access browser features like AI. Key points included transitioning between standalone PWA windows and browser tabs, debate over gating features by install, and discussed idea of integrating with Model Context Protocol.

notes doc

Sync on projects of shared interest

• Microsoft Lead:

• Web Install Umbrella bug, UX bug, Discussion doc

• 138 was initially estimated, now looks like 139

• Anything needed for compliance?

• No high bar for dev trials

• Let’s have a monthly checkin

Topic for general discussion

• Discussing Microsoft staffing changes and coordination

• Dan Murphy and howard....@microsoft.com Lu Huang had been having about a monthly project check in focused on PWA. Keep using the scope extensions meeting time to avoid schedule changes, change scope to broaden to PWA wide topics.

• Communication methods with PWA team

• pwa...@chromium.org preferred - linkable later for others to catch up.

• Code reviews: adding to a person's 'attention set'

• slack https://app.slack.com/client/T039UTRBS/CGK77JY3W somewhat responsive. 

• Discussing Google IO - Tom Steiner

• AI focused of course, hard to get attention on much else.

• PWAs talking to Model Context Protocol?

• alexr...@microsoft.com we've look in the past at PWAs being able to advertise "actions", so another way to think about this is "how could an MCP be informed that a PWA can do a thing?"

• How do we keep PWAs able to access browser features such as AI? Vincent Scheib

• e.g. fluid and easy transition between stand alone PWA window and browser windows?

• lu.h...@microsoft.com If we have language models engaging with web sites, that increases the power and capabilities, for good and bad.

• Vincent Scheib Few things should be gated by install (e.g. OS integration specific, app switcher, notification identity) but many things don’t really need to (storage, compute, background).

• alexr...@microsoft.com - we've spent much time debating API/Capability being granted on install. So, prefer not to gate on install, but being pragmatic and allowing that as a first approach is reasonable.

• Install gated: 

• Share Target, obvious app concept related.

• UI related, window controls overlay

• Dan Murphy installed / not OS integrated state

• e.g. pre-installed chrome apps (google sheets) 

• opportunity to identify web apps frequently used by users, e.g. a frequently revisited site in a tab that a user may want install related features for - such as navigation capture refocusing existing tabs.

• Vincent Scheib - Standalone window to browser tab transition: be able to use browser features with the web content but be able to switch back to a clean app UX. Vs. reimplement the browser feature for app windows. 

• Spotify example: Listening to Bjork in Spotify app window. I want to use a browser feature to learn more about Bjork. I know this feature exists. I transition the app to a browser window to use this feature to learn about Bjork. I hit the toggle button to transition the web content back to an app window.

• alexr...@microsoft.com Developers want a site-specific browser window. They want to pick and choose between browser features.