5 ms·

Apple has been refining the iOS notification experience to prevent this from being a problem for apps and I’m sure this will apply to websites too. For example

Apple has been refining the iOS notification experience to prevent this from being a problem for apps and I’m sure this will apply to websites too. For example, putting notifications in the scheduled summary or asking users if they want to turn off notifications from an app they haven’t engaged with recently. On the other hand, why should I have to download an app in order to know when I get outbid on eBay or a notification when a package is delivered. Like any messaging channel, not every business is going to use it in a smart way overnight. But I’m confident Apple will put the right guard rails around it, and it will be a welcome replacement to email. Unlike email, web push is privacy friendly, and has standard opt-in and opt-out methods.

tuxone 4y ago
> why should I have to download an app in order to know when I get outbid on eBay or a notification when a package is delivered What’s wrong with prioritized emails? Of course they prefer to send you push notifications via app because it is an additional (and someway less filtered) channel. Once also push notifications will get the same spam inbox filtering system (which iOS already has) then we will all scream for the next channel to be filled of spam (retina displayed popups?)
- josho 4y ago
  A push is potentially a better experience. You could long press the push notification and the app could increase its bid by 10%. You can't do things like that through email. To your point, maybe we should innovate on email and add these capabilities to email, instead of building apple/android specific push solutions. I'd love to see that, but we don't live in that world.
netheril96 4y ago
Tangential: I’m not satisfied with the existing control of notifications in iOS. I want to allow ebay to notify me when my shipment gets updated but shut up when it wants to advertise. Not possible in the current setup. I have disabled notifications of many apps whose notifications include useful information but also too much garbage.
- judge2020 4y ago
  > I want to allow ebay to notify me when my shipment gets updated but shut up when it wants to advertise. Developers are supposed to clearly separate notifications into groups that users can turn off individually, but right now it's not something that gets apps rejected from the app store review process[0]. Also, iOS 16 introduces managing shipping in Wallet[1], however apps need to use an API to 'ship' their tracking numbers to the Wallet app; wish this included the ability to manually add tracking numbers and/or scan mail from the built-in Mail app for tracking links. 0: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/system-capabilities/notifications/#sending-marketing-notifications https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guideline... 1: https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-16-preview/#:~:text=Apple%C2%A0Pay%C2%A0Later-,Track%20your%20orders,-View%20your%20receipts https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-16-preview/#:~:text=Apple%C2%A... (ctrl f "track your orders")
- pieno 4y ago
  Totally agreed! It’s a bit ambiguous, but the Apple App Store guidelines seem to require you to be able to opt-out from marketing push notifications, while still keeping other notifications. From guideline 4.5.4: “Push Notifications should not be used for promotions or direct marketing purposes unless customers have explicitly opted in to receive them via consent language displayed in your app’s UI, and you provide a method in your app for a user to opt out from receiving such messages. (..)” [0] The developer/user experience guidelines also recommend to have a clear screen to opt-in and out of different types of notifications, and never to abuse privileges (e.g. send marketing notifications with a “time critical” flag to break through focus mode etc.). I really hated Uber Eats when I thought they were abusing their notification privileges to send spam. But I recently found out that they do allow you to opt out of marketing notifications while still allowing order-related notifications (although they really are pushing it (pun intended) by sending at least two post-delivery notifications asking for tips and ratings, which could easily wait until I actually open the app again or at least be limited to just one delivery confirmation notification). Not sure if they are asking for clear opt-ins for new customers (they probably assumed opt-in based on some general consent I gave before this Apple policy came into effect). [0] https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#apple-sites-and-services https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#app... [1] https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/system-capabilities/notifications https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guideline... (“Sending Marketing Notifications” at the end)

tuxone 4y ago

> why should I have to download an app in order to know when I get outbid on eBay or a notification when a package is delivered What’s wrong with prioritized emails? Of course they prefer to send you push notifications via app because it is an additional (and someway less filtered) channel. Once also push notifications will get the same spam inbox filtering system (which iOS already has) then we will all scream for the next channel to be filled of spam (retina displayed popups?)

josho 4y ago
A push is potentially a better experience. You could long press the push notification and the app could increase its bid by 10%. You can't do things like that through email. To your point, maybe we should innovate on email and add these capabilities to email, instead of building apple/android specific push solutions. I'd love to see that, but we don't live in that world.

netheril96 4y ago

Tangential: I’m not satisfied with the existing control of notifications in iOS. I want to allow ebay to notify me when my shipment gets updated but shut up when it wants to advertise. Not possible in the current setup. I have disabled notifications of many apps whose notifications include useful information but also too much garbage.

judge2020 4y ago
> I want to allow ebay to notify me when my shipment gets updated but shut up when it wants to advertise. Developers are supposed to clearly separate notifications into groups that users can turn off individually, but right now it's not something that gets apps rejected from the app store review process[0]. Also, iOS 16 introduces managing shipping in Wallet[1], however apps need to use an API to 'ship' their tracking numbers to the Wallet app; wish this included the ability to manually add tracking numbers and/or scan mail from the built-in Mail app for tracking links. 0: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/system-capabilities/notifications/#sending-marketing-notifications https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guideline... 1: https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-16-preview/#:~:text=Apple%C2%A0Pay%C2%A0Later-,Track%20your%20orders,-View%20your%20receipts https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-16-preview/#:~:text=Apple%C2%A... (ctrl f "track your orders")
pieno 4y ago
Totally agreed! It’s a bit ambiguous, but the Apple App Store guidelines seem to require you to be able to opt-out from marketing push notifications, while still keeping other notifications. From guideline 4.5.4: “Push Notifications should not be used for promotions or direct marketing purposes unless customers have explicitly opted in to receive them via consent language displayed in your app’s UI, and you provide a method in your app for a user to opt out from receiving such messages. (..)” [0] The developer/user experience guidelines also recommend to have a clear screen to opt-in and out of different types of notifications, and never to abuse privileges (e.g. send marketing notifications with a “time critical” flag to break through focus mode etc.). I really hated Uber Eats when I thought they were abusing their notification privileges to send spam. But I recently found out that they do allow you to opt out of marketing notifications while still allowing order-related notifications (although they really are pushing it (pun intended) by sending at least two post-delivery notifications asking for tips and ratings, which could easily wait until I actually open the app again or at least be limited to just one delivery confirmation notification). Not sure if they are asking for clear opt-ins for new customers (they probably assumed opt-in based on some general consent I gave before this Apple policy came into effect). [0] https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#apple-sites-and-services https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#app... [1] https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/system-capabilities/notifications https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guideline... (“Sending Marketing Notifications” at the end)