The Android System WebView is a component that allows Android applications to display web content without needing to launch a separate web browser. Disabling this component effectively prevents applications from rendering web pages within their own interfaces. For instance, a news application that typically displays article content directly within the app would instead require the user to open the article in an external browser if the WebView is disabled.
Disabling the WebView can be useful in specific troubleshooting scenarios. For example, if an application is experiencing rendering issues or security vulnerabilities related to web content, disabling the WebView can isolate the problem and determine if it stems from the WebView component itself. Historically, outdated WebView versions have been targeted by exploits; disabling it can serve as a temporary measure while awaiting updates, albeit with functional limitations on affected applications.