iOS Platform opening URL's externally on safari after reconnecting to internet

Bug Report

Problem

After upgrading from cordova-ios@5.1.1 to cordova-ios@^6.0.0, apps that connect to a Firebase Realtime DB start opening long polling URL’s externally on safari after reconnecting to the internet, moving the user away from the app into a meaningless URL page. Currently we can only attribute this to the platform changes starting with 6.0.0, since this behaviour is not present on 5.1.1.

What is expected to happen?

Firebase long polling (and possibly other) requests performed on the background should not be randomly catched and opened externally on safari, confusing and moving the user away from the app.

What does actually happen?

When reconnecting, the app opens the system safari browser with a random meaningless URL for the user, such as https://{x}.firebaseio.com/.lp?dframe=t&id={x}&pw={x}&ns={x}

Information

This can be reproduced on an ionic fresh starter app with cordova and minimal firebase configuration to load data from Firebase Realtime DB.

1. Install and open the app on a real device
2. Disconnect from internet - firebase wont be able to use websockets and fall back to long polling requests and retries
3. Connect to the internet - behaviour seen on .gif above

Currently, downgrading to cordova-ios@5.1.1 seems to be a way to stop the behaviour. Also noticed the new feature Add preference for webview window handling which could be related to this, but issue is present already in version 6.0.0. Setting up the AllowNewWindows preference doesn’t produce any effect on this bug.

Command or Code

Example of minimal cordova setup to replicate, used in a fresh ionic started app :

"cordova-ios": "^6.1.1",
"cordova-plugin-device": "^2.0.2",
"cordova-plugin-ionic-keyboard": "^2.2.0",
"cordova-plugin-ionic-webview": "^4.2.1",
"cordova-plugin-splashscreen": "^5.0.2",
"cordova-plugin-statusbar": "^2.4.2",
"cordova-plugin-whitelist": "^1.3.3",

Environment, Platform, Device

Seen on real iPhone device with iOS 13.7.

Version information

Ionic ^5; Cordova ^10 CLI; cordova-ios@^6.0.0 platform; Xcode Version 11.7 (11E801a);

Checklist

• I searched for existing GitHub issues
• I updated all Cordova tooling to most recent version
• I included all the necessary information above

[x140l31]

We are still facing this issue in 6.1.1.

Looks good in 6.2.0

[amjadyahya1]

I have tested it… and can confirm that this bug has been fixed, it no longer opens an external url.