Android 16 could incorporate "persistent" notifications similar to those of the iPhone.
Android's response to iOS Live Activities could be on the way.
A new feature called "Rich Ongoing Notifications" has been discovered, which could be introduced with Android 16. This functionality will allow developers to maintain persistent notifications in the Android status bar. The information was revealed from the beta code of Android 15, analyzed by a specialist who often explores the code to identify future features.
In its current state, the code allows for the addition of a pill-shaped icon, which can include custom text and a background color. Examples of notifications were created to demonstrate how it could be used, such as for informing users about the arrival time of an Uber. Since Android 12, there has been a similar feature indicating the duration of a phone call.
This feature resembles the Live Activities function on iOS, which displays elements like timers, sports scores, and delivery time estimates on users' lock screens and notifications. On devices like the iPhone 14 Pro and later models, these notifications appear as widgets that can be easily seen in the Dynamic Island cutout while performing other activities on the phone.
Incorporating a comparable feature on Android could enhance the user experience. For example, Live Activities has been very useful for reminding users of the remaining time on a parking meter or for quickly checking the status of a food delivery. Having a similar option could encourage some users to consider returning to the platform.
