The problem that will arise from Push Notifications

[Luke1robb]

So when we all get Push Notifications come next month, I see a huge problem rearing its head. When the phone is sleeping, PNs should work great, notifying us of updates and alerts, but what happens when your phone is on?

Say I'm in an non-apple app (say Facebook) and I'm writing an message or wall post. All of sudden, I get 5 notifications pushed to my phone. Getting alerted by all them I am repeatedly interrupted and forced to either ignore ("OK") all of them, or leave Facebook and go to the specific app. Of course, this problem could be avoided if I choose not to get the text message like notifications, but what if I do.

I'm afraid that we'll all end up getting very frustrated by the PNS instead of relieving stress.

My thought for how Apple could fix this? Deliver notifications like the Palm Pre, by making them non-intrusive and just pop up at the bottom of the screen and sit there until I want to address them. Now, I know Apple want just copy Palm or make it seem like they did, but I sure hope they do something to beat this problem before it presents itself?

Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[nickspohn]

You can choose which push notifications you want to receive, and how you receive them. (Popup, Sound, etc)

 

[Randman]

The problem that will arise from people not knowing how how the limited push notifications will arise: Useless posts.

 

[dissdnt]

Yah i agree.

This is why they should revamp the entire notification system and get it more in line with the Palm Pre.

I doubt Apple will do it because everyone will say they are copying, but it is a much more superior method of notification.

 

[GoCubsGo]

^ That makes little sense for some reason.

The OP has a point if there was not the option to decide how you want to be notified as nickspoon said.

Yah i agree.

This is why they should revamp the entire notification system and get it more in line with the Palm Pre.

I doubt Apple will do it because everyone will say they are copying, but it is a much more superior method of notification.

Many features on existing phones are more superior to the iPhone.

 

[Luke1robb]

You can choose which push notifications you want to receive, and how you receive them. (Popup, Sound, etc)

Nick, this is true, but what I'm saying is, what if I want those popups, but I don't want to be getting them all throughout an email/message/wall post/[insert task]. It is just going to get in the way to have to hit ignore and I don't want to be switching things on and off all the time (ala 3G/WiFi, which I still don't know why its like 5 clicks to change these networking settings, but that's a whole other thing).

 

[nickspohn]

I see. Make sense, I didn't look at it like that. What is the Pre's notification system like?

 

[CrzyCanuck72]

This will absolutely be a huge annoyance. The OP is completely right - the notification popups will be great when the phone is locked, cause they will just sit on the lock screen, but when they start flooding in while you're working on the phone they will be hugely annoying. Think of how annoying it already is when you get an SMS popup while you're working on the phone. It is in-your-face and obnoxious. The iPhone needs a revamped notification system that alerts you to things while you're working on the phone without interrupting your workflow.

 

[pugnut]

Beta Tester

I beta tested the AP app and can tell you that while the phone was off the notifications did nto appear. When it was tunred on they did not all rush in, the badge was above the app showing a updated notification. After that they were delviered as they were set up.

This really is not that complicated...

 

[Small White Car]

I'm still not really getting this.

Seeing notifications on screen will bother you, but turning them off or using the audio notices isn't an option.

So you want to see them, but not see them.

And apparently the Pre can do that.

I'm just really lost.

 

[Eso]

When the phone is sleeping, PNs should work great, notifying us of updates and alerts...

Actually, it will hardly work great even then. If you get more than one type of any notification on the lock screen (SMS, PNS, missed call, voicemail, calender alert, alarm), it won't display the content of any of them. It will simply tally what has been received - to be forever lost when you unlock the phone.

So, suppose you get notifications while you sleep (having turned off audio alerts obviously). When you wake up to your iPhone's alarm in the morning - oops! - all gone.

 

[Luke1robb]

I beta tested the AP app and can tell you that while the phone was off the notifications did nto appear. When it was tunred on they did not all rush in, the badge was above the app showing a updated notification. After that they were delviered as they were set up.

This really is not that complicated...

Watching the keynote, it was clearly shown that they will pop up when the phone is on if they are set to do that. Maybe you just have badges on, but if pop-ups are on, then they will pop up during your workflow as mentioned above.

 

[randomusername]

Like how YouTube was added to the first generation iPhone after the announcement, I'm hoping Apple will add a way to collect notifications in one place without interrupting the application you're in. Like, have an icon and the number of new notifications on the top bar to the left of the time. You could double tap the icon and a box drops down over the app you're in. It will show every new notification, including new texts and new emails. And then you could exit the window and go right back to the app you were in.

I want this. It'll probably come soon. I'm hoping it'll come before the 3.0 launch but it'll probably come as a 3.x update after everyone bitches about too many pop-ups.

 

[skwoytek]

Actually, it will hardly work great even then. If you get more than one type of any notification on the lock screen (SMS, PNS, missed call, voicemail, calender alert, alarm), it won't display the content of any of them. It will simply tally what has been received - to be forever lost when you unlock the phone.

So, suppose you get notifications while you sleep (having turned off audio alerts obviously). When you wake up to your iPhone's alarm in the morning - oops! - all gone.

Are those red circles with numbers located at the upper-right of your icons confusing?

Even then, Apple hasn't showed all their cards for 3.0. Don't fool yourself into thinking the beta has everything - remember MobileMe? That was completely worked into OS 2.0 without any beta testing.

 

[Luke1robb]

I see. Make sense, I didn't look at it like that. What is the Pre's notification system like?

I'm still not really getting this.

Seeing notifications on screen will bother you, but turning them off or using the audio notices isn't an option.

So you want to see them, but not see them.

And apparently the Pre can do that.

I'm just really lost.

This is how the Pre's notifications appear. Clearly visible, but not intrusive. To restate and clarify for those who were confused, I want to see notifications on my screen, but I don't want a text bubble popping up for everyone, just let me know at the bottom of the screen ala Pre-style (shown below).

In one picture you can see an actual notification (a text from Karen) in the bottom portion of the screen, which is capable of being clicked on. In the other, you can see notifications lined up (voicemail and reminder). Both non-intrusive and easy to access/understand.

 

[Luke1robb]

Like how YouTube was added to the first generation iPhone after the announcement, I'm hoping Apple will add a way to collect notifications in one place without interrupting the application you're in. Like, have an icon and the number of new notifications on the top bar to the left of the time. You could double tap the icon and a box drops down over the app you're in. It will show every new notification, including new texts and new emails. And then you could exit the window and go right back to the app you were in.

I like this idea a lot. Have a drop down menu with all notifications listed on it and you can tap the program or notification you want to go to. Apple... you there?

 

[TheSpaz]

Are those red circles with numbers located at the upper-right of your icons confusing?

Even then, Apple hasn't showed all their cards for 3.0. Don't fool yourself into thinking the beta has everything - remember MobileMe? That was completely worked into OS 2.0 without any beta testing.

Really? MobileMe had no testing? NO WAY!!! How could anyone tell?

</sarcasm> Haha!

Oh, I forgot to contribute to the thread. I'm sure you'll probably want to turn on popups for *some* apps like instant messengers, but just an icon badge is enough for other things (like to-do apps or RSS apps). That's the way I'm going to treat it. I don't want popups for every single update on my news feeds but I would like to know when someone is messaging me from AIM. Understand?

I do agree that Apple should put some sort of visual notification counter in the menu bar so that it can be seen from anywhere in the OS instead of just at the home screen.

 

[Eso]

Are those red circles with numbers located at the upper-right of your icons confusing?

Ah yes, enter the badge icons! Your IM app alert that was once "New IM from <username>: <message content>" gets reduced to a number in a red circle. Definitely the same. That's not even considering if the app doesn't distinguish pushed (un-read) alerts from already-viewed content - which would make them totally meaningless. The current app used to test high-volume PNS, AP News, does just that.

 

[vinay427]

Yah i agree.

This is why they should revamp the entire notification system and get it more in line with the Palm Pre.

I doubt Apple will do it because everyone will say they are copying, but it is a much more superior method of notification.

Well it's on Android (a form of it at least) and that wasn't copying. But you can never predict Apple fans.

I like this idea a lot. Have a drop down menu with all notifications listed on it and you can tap the program or notification you want to go to. Apple... you there?

EXACTLY like Android. There is a menu with a tiny icon of the app with a notification and when you drag the status bar down, it shows you a list.

 

[Rat-Boy]

Gonna have to agree based on the evidence shown here.

The Pre's notification system is better and much more desirable IMHO.

I like the badge icon notifications.

And I like the sound notifications.

But the big bubble window right in the middle of the screen should ONLY be allowed if no app is running or on the lock screen. Otherwise, it should be minimized somewhere.

The problem is, where? The way the iPhone and apps are designed, there isn't much place for the notifications to be put. They could put icons in the top bar to remind you of notifications.

But as far as the actual text of an SMS or whatever, there is simply no where to put it without a complete overhaul to EVERY app in the app store which is made to fit the entire screen.

 

[OriginalMasta]

PUSH notifications the way it has been presented by Apple arejust like pop-ups on the internet with your browsers. ANNOYING. I'm very sure they can make it so it acts not like a pop-up but instead a display like the PRE. It's just software and can be implemented easily- The display of the message that is - the technology behind PUSH is really neat. It's just the way the messages are displayed that will seem like an annoyance more than beneficial.

 

[Luke1robb]

But the big bubble window right in the middle of the screen should ONLY be allowed if no app is running or on the lock screen. Otherwise, it should be minimized somewhere.

The problem is, where?

How bout up top below the top line and above the app (ala phone call bar)? When you're in a phone call and you press the home button, a green bar appears with time on call and you're able to press it to return to the call. How about that area for notifications? Seems like a perfect idea to me.

 

[JohnnyQuest]

I love my iPhone, really I do. And I wasn't really impressed by the Pre, but that being said- I really like the Pre's notification system. I hate when I'm on a call or something, and when I'm about to end it, a text pops up, to which I HAVE to "close" or "reply." I wish the iPhone had the option of a non-intrusive notification system.

 

[iphones4evry1]

Yah i agree.

This is why they should revamp the entire notification system and get it more in line with the Palm Pre.

I doubt Apple will do it because everyone will say they are copying, but it is a much more superior method of notification.

As an Apple customer, I would rather that Apple copy the concept from the Pre instead of continuing to have an inferior system.
The world wouldn't be where it is today if people didn't pay attention to their competitor's products and "keep up with the competition." If the competitor has something that all of the consumers love, then maybe you shouldn't ignore it.

If you look at every other industry in the world, even including computers (Apple's home industry), everyone copies everyone. When Ford introduced the production line, what if GM said "we can't copy them. let's just keep building every car individually" ?

 

[Revelation78]

Also guys you have to remember the DEVELOPER decides how the notifications will appear. I haven't delved into this aspect just yet as none of my apps use the notification service. The developer can choose to have a badge, a pop up, etc...


I don't see why there can't be the option to enable/disable certain pop-up notifications via the settings in each app. Again, I haven't delved into this type of code yet, so I don't know for sure.