Android Notification Channels: The Complicated Parts

Transcript

1. Android Notification Channels: The Complicated Parts Dan Lew

2. Goal • Inform users • …Without annoying them

3. Noises • Sound
 
 
 


4. Noises • Sound • Vibration
 


5. Noises • Sound • Vibration • Light

6. Noises v2 • Metadata • Priority • Categories • People

   • Do not Disturb interruptions • Hiding on lock screen

7. Android Oreo • Notification badges on launcher • Channels

8. None

9. Channels give users control

10. User Control App Control Importance Sound Vibration Light Show on

    lock screen Show badges on launcher Bypass "Do Not Disturb” Channel Name Channel Description

11. targetSdkVersion 26 == Channels

12. None

13. Measure Twice, Cut Once

14. How Many Channels?

15. Trello Channel Overview Important Minor Temporary Mentions New Cards Attachments

    Due Soon Cards Boards Comments Memberships

16. Notification Groups

17. Importance IMPORTANCE_HIGH Make sound and pop on screen IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT Make

    sound IMPORTANCE_LOW No sound IMPORTANCE_NONE No sound or visual interruption

18. Custom Noise • Sound • Vibration • Light

19. Bells and Whistles • Badges on launcher • Bypass “do

    not disturb”

20. Playing Dirty • Can delete & recreate channels • Users

    will know • Will annoy users

21. val channel = NotificationChannel("news", “News", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT)
 channel.description = "News and

    weather"
 channel.setShowBadge(false)
 
 val manager = context.getSystemService(NotificationManager::class.java)
 manager.createNotificationChannel(channel)

22. val channel = NotificationChannel("news", “News", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT)
 channel.description = "News and

    weather"
 channel.setShowBadge(false)
 
 val manager = context.getSystemService(NotificationManager::class.java)
 manager.createNotificationChannel(channel)

23. val notification = NotificationCompat.Builder(context, "news")
 .setThis() .setThat()
 .etc()
 .build()

24. Timing • Create channels at… • Startup • First notification

    • Create all channels at once • Channel creation is idempotent

25. Inform users… ...WITHOUT annoying them

26. How to annoy users without really trying

27. Too Many Sounds

28. Too Many Rows

29. Notification Bundles 1-3 notifications 4+ notifications

30. Notification Bundles Pros Cons Easy Works across channels Many noises

    Only on Nougat+

31. Notification Groups 1 notification 2+ notifications

32. Notification Groups

33. Notification Groups Pros Cons Few notifications Few noises Extra work

34. Notification Groups val summaryNotification = NotificationCompat.Builder(context, "news")
 ...
 .setGroupSummary(true)
 .setGroup("myGroup")


    .setGroupAlertBehavior(NotificationCompat.GROUP_ALERT_SUMMARY)
 .build()
 
 val childNotification = NotificationCompat.Builder(context, "news")
 ...
 .setGroupSummary(false)
 .setGroup("myGroup")
 .setGroupAlertBehavior(NotificationCompat.GROUP_ALERT_SUMMARY)
 .build()

35. Channels Break Groups • One group fails when channel disabled

    • Group-per-channel creates too many rows • Group-per-channel creates too many noises

36. Channel Dilemma Bundling Groups Fewer rows Many noises Many rows

    Fewer noises

37. Channel Solution • Channel should either… • Have a group

    summary • Be IMPORTANCE_LOW or lower

38. Trello’s Setup Name Importance Summary Launcher Badge? Mentions HIGH Yes

    Yes Due Soon DEFAULT Yes Yes Boards LOW No Yes Cards LOW No Yes Comments LOW No Yes Memberships LOW No Yes New Cards LOW No Yes Attachments MIN No No

39. Odds and Ends

40. Remove Notification Settings

41. Remove Notification Settings Intent

42. Listen to ACTION_LOCALE_CHANGED

43. Use setAlertOnlyOnce()

44. Summary • Embrace channels • Choose good defaults • Don’t

    annoy users

45. Thank You! • danlew.net • @danlew42