does the android webview version depends on the sdk or the device?

Question

Android 5 is upgrading the WebView to Chromium 37. Does it mean I have to use the latest sdk for android 5 to enjoy the benefits, or the WebView will be automatically updated for the app once the user has been upgraded to android 5? What if I use android 5 SDK to create an apk and run it on an older version of android device?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Starting with Lollipop, WebView is updated on the device through Play Store/Play Services. Your app will use the WebView that is on the device, unless you specifically include another version in your apk and use that (not typically done).

The targetSdkVersion you build with will not have any affect on what WebView is installed on the device.

Answer 2

The initial release for Android 5.0 includes a version of Chromium for WebView based on the Chromium M37 release, adding support for WebRTC, WebAudio, and WebGL.

Chromium M37 also includes native support for all of the Web Components specifications: Custom Elements, Shadow DOM, HTML Imports, and Templates. This means you can use Polymer and its material design elements in a WebView without needing polyfills.

Although WebView has been based on Chromium since Android 4.4, the Chromium layer is now updatable from Google Play.

As new versions of Chromium become available, users can update from Google Play to ensure they get the latest enhancements and bug fixes for WebView, providing the latest web APIs and bug fixes for apps using WebView on Android 5.0 and higher.