There are two main types of notifications for iOS and Android: local notifications and remote notifications. Other third-party options, such as Urban Airship and Pushwoosh, can provide more complex data analytics and marketing analysis. Apple developers, for example, can use the APNs Developers application programming interface ( APIs) to have their apps deliver push notifications to iOS devices.Īnother approach is to use mobile backend as a service ( mobile BaaS) cloud services to provide push notification functionality for a mobile app. Push notification services such as Google Firebase Cloud Messaging, Amazon Simple Notification Service and Azure Notification Hubs can integrate notifications across mobile devices.
Unlike pull notifications, in which the client must request information from a server, push notifications originate from a server. Typically, the end user must opt in to receive alerts opt-in usually takes place during the install process and end users are provided with a way to manage alerts if they change their minds later on.ĭifferent devices and services rely on different methods to deliver push notifications. In 2015, Apple released the Apple Watch and enabled push notifications for that device. Those push notifications allow users to take actions such as replying to text messages and deleting emails directly from the lock screen. Action buttons allow users to respond within the notification itself for example, a user can open the app that requires action or play a song.Īpple followed closely behind in 2014 with the rollout of interactive notifications in iOS 8. Progress notifications also include a progress bar, and list notifications include a list. Image notifications build upon those features and also include an image preview. Basic notifications include a title, icon and message for more context. Android's rich notifications fall into four categories: basic, image, progress and list.
Google introduced rich notifications and action buttons in 2013, allowing developers to integrate enhanced features into a push notification for Android devices. In 2010, Google launched its own version of the service for Android devices, called Google Cloud to Device Messaging (C2DM). The APNs enables app developers to transmit information to iOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS devices. History/developmentĪpple first introduced push notifications in 2009, with support for push notifications on iOS devices using the Apple Push Notification service ( APNs). Push notification, also called server push notification, is the delivery of information from a software application to a computing device without a specific request from the client.