Declaring Package Visibility - default android messaging app package name

Question

I have recently noticed that when I upgraded to Androids API of 30 or higher, my linking functionality has stopped working. It appears the reasoning is due to Android implementing the need to declare package visibility.

So now, when I try to open the default sms messaging app on my android device using Linking.canOpenURL, nothing happens.

I am assuming adding this package name to my AndroidManifest.xml file will fix this. Looking at the example code from the android documentation, we see the following.

<manifest package="com.example.game">
    <queries>
        <package android:name="com.example.store" />
        <package android:name="com.example.services" />
    </queries>
    ...
</manifest>

I want to be able to open the default sms messaging app on ANY android device. How can I grab the package name of the default sms app for ANY device and include it in my manifest file?

Answer 1

You don't need to know what the default messaging app is in order to launch it. All you need it to send this intent:

    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
    intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_APP_MESSAGING);
    intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_FROM_BACKGROUND | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
    startActivity(intent);

Or if you actually want to start a text message to a specific phone#:

    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SENDTO, Uri.parse("sms:5551234567"));
    intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    startActivity(intent);

Obviously, replace "5551234567" with the actual phone number