Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

jacquescorbytuech.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

281–290 of 428 posts

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#281

Post by 1718627440 »

bossyTeacher wrote: post #78
lanerobertlane wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I order an Uber, I already know it is coming. I was the person who ordered it. This is how taxis worked for decades before smartphones existed. You phoned for a taxi, then remained vaguely aware that it would arrive shortly. The question is whether a single “it has arrived” notification is worth the surrounding noise: “driver accepted”, “driver is nearby”, “rate your driver”, “here’s 10% off your next ride”, and s…

The point of notifications is the convenience of not having to constantly check your phone for every single app you have (amazon delivery? just eats delivery? uber booking? claude finished its task?).

Your house already has a built-in notification system, which can be activated by the delivery guy, once he is physically at your location.

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#282

Post by whstl »

b65e8bee43c2ed0 wrote: post #53
whstl wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It should but apps don't let us decide. An intermediate seems to be trying to fix it. Is it ideal? No. But it's the spammers who are to blame.

like I said, you decide by muting or removing the offending app.

Fine, but that’s was clearly not enough to stop the spam, nor it was enough to satisfy everyone.

There are some apps I can’t afford to mute or uninstall, such as phone, transportation, communication and work. I wish I could, but I currently can’t, I’m not privileged enough.

“Punishment by Apple” in this instance is somehow the only response anyone had to misbehaving companies.

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#283

Post by 1718627440 »

0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #131
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, this entire article is pretty transparent that it's from the sender perspective, and worried about platforms taking over "sender control". Who is he kidding? The vast majority of apps have absolutely proven they can't be trusted to respect your attention. From my perspective, the more roadblocks the platforms put between unnecessary notifications and my phone, the better. And I don't think Apple or Google are s…

I recently had to setup Microsoft Authenticator. It refused to register a code unless I enabled notifications. You are a two factor app. I should never be in a situation where there is an unexpected login I need to verify.

Apps can know whether you granted permission?? That sounds like a security flaw.

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#284

Post by conductr »

pcl wrote: post #67
pants2 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The biggest problem are apps that do both. For example, I want Uber to notify me when my driver has arrived, but I don't want it to notify me when they have a special 10% discount on my next 5 rides. It's not straightforward to block one but not the other.

For me, it's quite straightforward. If an app makes an unsolicited spammy push, it's notifications-off. No exceptions.

I just refuse to grant permission as my default. If I ever feel like I’m missing out, I can turn it on later. Usually I don’t and if I do I quickly regret it.

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#285

Post by [deleted] »

nateguchi wrote: post #3

I feel like this article reads like the author is upset that Apple + Google prevent / control certain types of notifications (read: spam) > Cross-sell, upsell, education and discovery can work on push Push notifications should only be for transactional notifications. I don't want another inbox for junk.

[deleted]

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#286

Post by iamacyborg »

nyx wrote: post #272
iamacyborg wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’d recommend following your own train of thought, why is big tech so hell bent on intermediating the experience between their users and everyone else? They’ve done it for email, web search, mobile experiences, advertising, etc. You want to use any of those things, you’ll have to pay their toll booth, figuratively or literally.

I'm not a fan of Apple or Google, and it feels bad that all of our notifications pass through APNS or FCM. Megacorps shouldn't have control over our digital lives to the extent that they do, and anyone talking about this gets my full attention and support. Except for marketers! I don't think there's a less sympathetic category of technologists, save for maybe CSAM peddlers. You're upset that you can't get "visibility…

If we had visibility, we would know what doesn't work and we would stop sending it. Almost like there are aligned interests there rather than a purely adversarial relationship.

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#287

Post by thisislife2 »

TheNewsIsHere wrote: post #54
thewebguyd wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't believe this still isn't a thing outside of GrapheneOS. Being able to revoke network permissions is a fundamental security and privacy tool that's willfully left out of both Android and iOS. There's zero reason not to include it as a toggle.

On iOS it wouldn’t even be that hard. There’s already a toggle to disable use of cellular connectivity. Add a separate one for non-cellular (iPadOS can connect via Ethernet), and/or a “disallow all” toggle. We are partly there in spirit with App Transparency keeping track of the IPs and hostnames apps connect to.

Apparently chinese versions of ios (specifically for China) already have this feature because the Chinese government mandates it!

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#288

Post by account42 »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #99
lanerobertlane wrote: post #24

If my phone interrupts me, it should either mean someone genuinely needs my attention right now or it should not be disrupting me at all. That's my notification set up. Apps allowed to receive push notifications Phone, Messages, Whatsapp, Apple Health, [brand] bank. That concludes the list. There is no reason any other app needs to be able to instantly ping me. Most apps are not notifying you because something matter…

Yeah, this entire article is pretty transparent that it's from the sender perspective, and worried about platforms taking over "sender control". Who is he kidding? The vast majority of apps have absolutely proven they can't be trusted to respect your attention. From my perspective, the more roadblocks the platforms put between unnecessary notifications and my phone, the better. And I don't think Apple or Google are s…

This is all a consequence from running software that doesn't respect you and notification are just one of many symptoms.

I'd rather choose better software than let Google/Apple decide what software running on my device is allowed to do.

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#289

Post by account42 »

implements wrote: post #255
0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently had to setup Microsoft Authenticator. It refused to register a code unless I enabled notifications. You are a two factor app. I should never be in a situation where there is an unexpected login I need to verify.

Tip: The iPhone Passwords App has basic TOTP functionality (manually create a password entry and click “Set Up Code”). I have a few dummy passwords which are effectively just labels for some login codes - it’s one less App to install.

Unfortunately Microsoft Authenticator does more than TOTP and usually its not up to the user to decide which two factor implementation is accepted.

Re: What Apple and Google are doing to push notifications

#290

Post by spwa4 »

account42 wrote: post #288
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, this entire article is pretty transparent that it's from the sender perspective, and worried about platforms taking over "sender control". Who is he kidding? The vast majority of apps have absolutely proven they can't be trusted to respect your attention. From my perspective, the more roadblocks the platforms put between unnecessary notifications and my phone, the better. And I don't think Apple or Google are s…

This is all a consequence from running software that doesn't respect you and notification are just one of many symptoms. I'd rather choose better software than let Google/Apple decide what software running on my device is allowed to do.

You mean it's a consequence of very large amounts of people refusing to pay for software, at essentially any other cost ...

Of course you could describe almost all of the internet that way.

Post reply on HN