Android 14 Update Removes App Notification Feature
Google's latest Android 14 update has brought about a significant change in how users interact with app icons on their home screens. Unlike its predecessor, Android 13, which allowed users to view recent notifications for an app by long-pressing its icon, Android 14 has done away with this feature. Instead, long-pressing an app icon now presents options such as app shortcuts, app info, the ability to pause the app, and widgets.
Altering Notification Management
While this change may not appear to be groundbreaking at first glance, it subtly alters how users manage and view their notifications. Previously, if a user's notification tray was overflowing with alerts, they could easily access notifications for a specific app directly from the home screen. This feature proved to be particularly useful for individuals who receive a large volume of notifications and prefer to handle them on an app-by-app basis.
However, with the introduction of Android 14, this convenience has been stripped away. Google has not provided a clear explanation for this change, but it is speculated that internal usage statistics may have influenced their decision. During the Android 14 Beta Program, Google confirmed that the removal of this notification feature was intentional and not something they plan to rectify.
Mixed User Response
The response from users to this change has been mixed. Some, like myself, rarely utilized the long-press feature for checking notifications, as they preferred using the notification tray. On the other hand, there are those who found this feature incredibly useful and are now calling for its reinstatement. Since the stable launch of Android 14 on Pixel devices, over a hundred new comments have been posted by users requesting the return of this capability.
Despite these user requests, it appears that Google has no immediate plans to bring back the feature. The current long-press menu in Android 14, which primarily focuses on shortcuts and app information, does not seem to be undergoing any significant changes. While restoring the notification feature may not cause much disruption, users will have to adapt to this new way of handling their notifications on Android devices for the time being.
