Design and Implementation of a Smart Notification Platform

In modern mobile applications, notifications are the preferred way to engage users. Although notifications are used by most Android apps, there doesn’t seem to exist an open source solution to push them, as alternative to Google’s Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). Android has introduced multiple optimisation features over the last decade, making it difficult for other systems to provide such a service. However, the strong dependence of Android apps on FCM imply the necessity for an alternative option to push notifications. The thesis provides a solution in the form of a smart notification platform. It proposes a message platform’s architecture that uses channels to deliver notifications to the devices. Additionally, the platform offers predictions on opportune moments to engage the user. In order to send notifications at any time a consistent connection between the device and the platform is required. The implemented prototype explores the feasibility of a consistent connection despite Android’s optimisations. It provides capabilities to push notifications onto the user’s mobile device and further relay the notifications to designated end-user apps. A connection handling mechanism that ensures the device stays connected was developed, considering the possible device states and optimisations. Furthermore, multiple possibilities to post incoming notifications on behalf of a client app are featured. The found solutions and encountered problems developing this prototype are discussed. Since the app of the platform has to circumvents battery optimisations, multiple aspects are considered ensuring that the battery lifetime isn’t impacted. A field test with 12 participants shows that the prototype provides a reliable delivery of notifications. For compatible devices a message delay of less than 4 seconds in 74 % and 1 minute in 95 % of the sent out notifications was achieved. The thesis discusses the causes of the delays and the compatibility problems caused by additional optimisations added by some manufacturers