Android OEMs to deploy notifications to version 7.1 spec

If you’re an Android OEM (especially from China) and plan on implementing version 7.1 onto your products anytime soon (you won’t), you’re going to need to make sure that you don’t run afoul of the notification spec.

The latest Android Compatibility Definition Document specifies to handheld device manufacturers putting up with the AOSP that they must implement several features including the ability for notification content to be updated if it’s active, following guidelines on how to remove notifications and replying in-line to message-based notifications.

OEMs must also allow users:

• The ability to control notifications directly in the notification shade.
• The visual affordance to trigger the control panel in the notification shade.
• The ability to BLOCK, MUTE and RESET notification preference from a package, both in the inline control panel as well as in the settings app.

Unfortunately, while all might be well and good for Android 7.1(.1) devices, we’re pretty much still dealing with Marshmallow and 7.0 Nougat ones.