Android Notification Channels: The Complicated Parts

Talk given to GDG Twin Cities.

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
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
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