Android 13 features: Apps will need permission before sending push notifications

Google released the Android 13 Developer Preview 2 this week, giving Android users an idea of the major changes planned for the next version of the operating system. One of the most notable updates will change how users can manage the volume of push notifications they receive from apps they have.

Most smartphones can get overwhelmed with many notifications they receive that could make it harder for many people to focus throughout the day. But this should drastically change once Google releases Android 13.

“Apps targeting Android 13 will now need to request the notification permission from the user before posting notifications,” Android VP of Engineering David Burke said in a blog post detailing the changes in Android 13 DP 2. Google shows a sample of what the notification request prompt would look like in the same post, and it looks quite similar to how Apple implemented the same feature on iOS. Android 13 users would see a prompt that reads, “Allow [App] to send you notifications?” Below, there would be Allow and Don’t Allow buttons.

Earlier versions of the Android OS have notification settings where users can choose what types of alerts they want to receive. It is also currently possible to turn off all notifications for certain apps. But the Android 13 feature is still a noteworthy update because it essentially does not make push notifications the default option when users install mobile apps.

When Android 13 users select the “Don’t Allow” option, Google says, “All notification channels are blocked, except for a few specific roles. This is similar to the behavior that occurs when the user manually turns off all notifications for your app in system settings.” If users choose not to answer the notification request prompt, apps with a “temporary notification grant” can send push notifications as usual.

Android 13 is still months away from being released to the public. While Google could still refine how the opt-in notification permissions will work, the company generally preserves features announced during the Developer Preview phase through the software version’s official launch.

The Android 13 Developer Preview is currently compatible with Pixel 4/4 XL, Pixel 4a/4a 5G, Pixel 5/5a, and Pixel 6/6 Pro. A release timeline from the same blog post indicates the first Android 13 beta release will be available in April.

Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash