What do people prefer with regards to Android notifications over iOS?

[FFR]

Once again, let’s just agree to disagree and move on!

Capital idea.

 

[Lee_Bo]

Third, this is a forum for adults that want to have meaningful conversations and ask questions.

<mic drop>

 

[doogald]

It's been four years since I used an Android phone full-time, but the one thing about notifications that I miss most is the ability to customize notification sounds more on a per-app basis. For iOS for most third party apps it's the default sound or one that is picked by the developer (e.g., that horrible one that the ESPN app uses.) I also understand that Android has more powerful do not disturb options. I would love to have the ability to set priority notifications that get through DND at times that I specify.

Notifications on iOS can be better, IMO.

 

[diego.roscetti]

It's been four years since I used an Android phone full-time, but the one thing about notifications that I miss most is the ability to customize notification sounds more on a per-app basis. For iOS for most third party apps it's the default sound or one that is picked by the developer (e.g., that horrible one that the ESPN app uses.) I also understand that Android has more powerful do not disturb options. I would love to have the ability to set priority notifications that get through DND at times that I specify.

Notifications on iOS can be better, IMO.

Yes you are correct about that. There are some sounds which annoy me and force me to turn the sound off with the certain app.

I guess the customization (or lack there of) on iOS apps follow the OS as a whole. Android is more customizable and iOS not so much.

Like I mentioned after reading and researching the notifications were something that was in the back of my mind prior to switching. I was thinking it would be an issue (even though I was getting delayed notifications on Android).

 

[BlackBerry Guy]

For me it's all about what I can see from the homescreen. On my iPhone (and iPad) there are notification dots all over, sometimes on a folder where I can't tell which app it belongs to, sometimes on the 2nd page of apps which I don't see unless I happen to swipe over. With my Pixel, the notifications are all shown at the top of the homescreen. All at a glance, no swiping onto a 2nd page, tapping into a folder, or pulling down a notification shade required.

 

[FFR]

For me it's all about what I can see from the homescreen. On my iPhone (and iPad) there are notification dots all over, sometimes on a folder where I can't tell which app it belongs to, sometimes on the 2nd page of apps which I don't see unless I happen to swipe over. With my Pixel, the notifications are all shown at the top of the homescreen. All at a glance, no swiping onto a 2nd page, tapping into a folder, or pulling down a notification shade required.

True, but the problem with the Mac OS X style status bar on an iPhone is that you have to exit your app to look at it on the home screen.

It’s just easier to pull down the notification shade when your in the app versus exiting the app looking at the status bar and then relaunching the app. Works the same with widgets on iOS, you can access them from within any app, whereas widgets can only be accessed on the home screen on android.

It would seem as though iOS users spend more time in apps versus the home screen whereas android users spend more time on the home screen versus apps. Probably has something to do with the quality of apps between both platforms.

 

[Speedygi]

To each their own is what I would say. Personally I like Android notifications more as the bar pulls down faster imo.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

The only notification style I prefer from Android is a phone call not taking up my entire screen and instead coming up as a banner so it doesn't interrupt whatever I'm currently doing on my phone. It's all I want.

 

[metllicamilitia]

True, but the problem with the Mac OS X style status bar on an iPhone is that you have to exit your app to look at it on the home screen.

It’s just easier to pull down the notification shade when your in the app versus exiting the app looking at the status bar and then relaunching the app. Works the same with widgets on iOS, you can access them from within any app, whereas widgets can only be accessed on the home screen on android.

It would seem as though iOS users spend more time in apps versus the home screen whereas android users spend more time on the home screen versus apps. Probably has something to do with the quality of apps between both platforms.

You can see the notification from most apps and the ones you can’t usually have an option, while you can also just pull down the shade from in the app. Unless I’m mistaken, widgets only appear in the widget screen on iOS.

 

[FFR]

You can see the notification from most apps and the ones you can’t usually have an option, while you can also just pull down the shade from in the app. Unless I’m mistaken, widgets only appear in the widget screen on iOS.

Widgets can be accessed from the Home screen, lock screen, and within any app on iOS.

 

[metllicamilitia]

I see what you're saying now, and I don't consider pulling down the shade and swiping over to the widget screen to be from within my app myself. I guess it depends on what widgets you use and what you use them for, since Android also allows split screen apps on phones and screen overlays, which can mitigate the need for widgets in the first place. For my usage for sure. Everyone is different.

 

[FFR]

I see what you're saying now, and I don't consider pulling down the shade and swiping over to the widget screen to be from within my app myself. I guess it depends on what widgets you use and what you use them for, since Android also allows split screen apps on phones and screen overlays, which can mitigate the need for widgets in the first place. For my usage for sure. Everyone is different.

You don’t have to consider anything, accessing widgets form within apps is incredibly useful.

Don’t really find split screen or overlays useful on a phones, the display is way to small. it’s pretty useful on an iPad Pro with a 12.9 inch display though.

 

[metllicamilitia]

You don’t have to consider anything, accessing widgets form within apps is incredibly useful.

Don’t really find split screen or overlays useful on a phones, the display is way to small. it’s pretty useful on an iPad Pro with a 12.9 inch display though.

Then I’ll be clearer, the notification tray is not inside the app. So sliding over from the notification tray is not accessing from within the app. It’s accessing from the notification tray.

 

[FFR]

Then I’ll be clearer, the notification tray is not inside the app. So sliding over from the notification tray is not accessing from within the app. It’s accessing from the notification tray.

Yes you do all of that from within the app, or the home screen, or the lock screen. You don’t have to exit the app like you do with android.

It’s really not a complicated concept to grasp.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

The only notification style I prefer from Android is a phone call not taking up my entire screen and instead coming up as a banner so it doesn't interrupt whatever I'm currently doing on my phone. It's all I want.

And looks like I'm getting it with iOS 14, finally.

 

[anon(50597)]

So is 14 adding any customization for notifications? I didn’t watch.

 

[Highrisedrifter]

My Samsung would give me ghost notifications all the time. My SMS tone would go off and there would be no new text messages there. It was infuriating to me. I would get delayed notifications, like one app would receive them but not show them and then when another app actually came through and showed me a notification, all the others would then drop too.

I vastly prefer iOS notifications. I go light with them and turn off notifications for almost everything except calls, messages and emails. iOS is easier to do in that regard as there's an option upon first opening an app. Also, the permissions that a number of Android apps wanted was ludicrous. No calculator app ever needs to view or control my messages, location or calls...