iOS5 b7 notifications: relative vs absolute timestamps

[3460169]

Thought I'd share this minor observation.

I've been fiddling with iOS5 since the first beta and I've noticed this a few days ago. May be a bug, may be intended design but in any case --

Notifications on the lock screen, and in Notification Center, from core iOS apps (such as Phone, Messages) are timestamped with absolute times. Notifications from 3rd party apps are timestamped with relative times. Unfortunately it doesn't appear that these timestamp behaviors are configurable though I may just be overlooking the preferences if they do indeed exist. Personally I think relative timestamps are more useful, unless a day or more goes by without seeing the notification in which case absolute timestamps (with a date) are necessary.

And yes, of course, this is still beta, so perhaps this is a kink to be worked out. I've got a bug report at the ready!

PS -- Although this only shows BeejiveIM as a third-party app and Phone as a core app, I've also observed relative stamps on third-party notifications from FB & KiK, and absolute stamps on Messages notifications. Didn't have any screenshots of those however.

(clicky for larger image if necessary!)

 

[JReinn]

Thought I'd share this minor observation.

I've been fiddling with iOS since the first beta and I've noticed this a few days ago. May be a bug, may be intended design but in any case --

Notifications on the lock screen, and in Notification Center, from core iOS apps (such as Phone, Messages) are timestamped with absolute times. Notifications from 3rd party apps are timestamped with relative times. Unfortunately it doesn't appear that these timestamp behaviors are configurable though I may just be overlooking the preferences if they do indeed exist. Personally I think relative timestamps are more useful, unless a day more goes by without seeing the notification in which case absolute timestamps (with a date) are necessary.

And yes, of course, this is still beta, so perhaps this is a kink to be worked out. I've got a bug report at the ready!

PS -- Although this only shows BeejiveIM as a third-party app and Phone as a core app, I've also observed relative stamps on third-party notifications from FB & KiK, and absolute stamps on Messages notifications. Didn't have any screenshots of those however.

(clicky for larger image if necessary!)

I hope that we'll get the choice to choose whether we want it to show relative or absolute timestamps. I like your idea about making it absolute after a day and add a date to it. I think that'd work well. So excited for iOs 5

 

[ArnieX]

Little late, but.

HI,

little late but I still have to say something regarding to time. When you think about time you have to "think different" if you have you screenshot with relative time over 60minutes it would be an error but if you have your relative time 59ago and down to 1 it is not an issue and I feel this functionality well, because it inform about time in that way it should be. In real world no one will tell you it was at 14:11 which is 53 min ago right here is an issue relative time should be for all apps within 1 (first) hour and later on show just time or date and time if appropriate. Well some issues were there but finally I don't think it's an issues, combination of both is correct.

BB