Notifications via Media Channel

[fury]

Does anyone know the rules for Android apps and how notifications are supposed to be handled? I nearly always have my Media channel at zero volume, and do not have any audible notifications on my phone. I get vibrate alerts for SMS and Facebook Messenger, but the only other sounds my phone makes is the ringtone.

I've noticed a few times while driving with Pandora playing via 3.5mm cable into my car radio, I've heard a notification come through over the music. Each time when I stop driving, there are multiple apps with notifications in my shade, so I wasn't able to determine which app caused it. I had narrowed it down to two, and today I figured it out.

I was sitting in my car with music playing and I heard the notification noise. I looked at my phone quickly and saw that Shopkick had just fired a notification (it was still scrolling the text of the notification, which covered all others for a few moments).

Is this against any sort of official Android rules/guidelines for Android developers? I like the app, and use it often, but I'm curious how I would report something like this to Android, if it is a violation, because it brings into question what other shady things they might be doing.

Thanks!

[Robert]

I might be wrong, but I don't think there are any rules... (I've searched and can't find anything on developer rules) I think if you agree to the Permissions in the app, it's pretty much fair game.

Basically an app can take over your whole phone,... but you have to give it permission to.

As far as shady things going on,... some of the latest Permissions I've seen in apps are absolutely ludicrous.

[Robert]

This is worth reading.....

Are Android Apps Safe To Use? -- AppAdvice

[fury]

I might be wrong, but I don't think there are any rules... (I've searched and can't find anything on developer rules) I think if you agree to the Permissions in the app, it's pretty much fair game.

Basically an app can take over your whole phone,... but you have to give it permission to.

As far as shady things going on,... some of the latest Permissions I've seen in apps are absolutely ludicrous.

Yeah I understand the permissions and stuff, and having the ability to play sounds is in nearly ALL apps, but it's more annoying than anythign else. It's very rare that Shopkick fires the push notifications, maybe once per week, but it just seems like it goes against the rules by using the media channel when a user may have their notification sounds off for a specific purpose, like being in a meeting or something.

Just my thoughts.

[Robert]

I understand. That would be very annoying... basically an app using the wrong channel to broadcast sound.

Are the notifications something you need? If not just uncheck "Show notifications" in the app menu.... you know just disable notification on the app all together.

You got me looking at Shopkick and it looks like a useful app.

[fury]

Yeah it's great. I go to Target a few times a week and got a $20 gift card (two $10, actually), and have about 4,000 points right now. I usually just do the walk-in points (50 per visit, capped at an unknown number per month), but sometimes I do the scans if I have time in the store.

They have offers at a lot of stores, and you can link a credit card to it and get bonus points that way too. It's basically free money. Sort of like Viggle.

I don't -need- the notifications, but they are so infrequent I'd rather keep them on. I may email the dev about it, because I do like the app but I don't like the way they are sending the notification.

[fury]

I emailed them about it. I looked in my settings, and push notifications are ON, but SOUNDS are OFF. The app does make sounds when you use it, and it is making a notification sound. Sounds like simple bad programming on their part.