Microsoft's GroupMe is adding support for one of the more interesting features to make it into Android Oreo: Notification channels.
In short, notification channels give you more granular control over your notifications from apps that support them. Each notification type can be broken out into its own channel, and you can decide how it is displayed. This stands in contrast to how notifications were handled before Android Oreo, in which developers decided how to surface notifications based on a priority level.
Each app has control over how many and what types of notification channels users can control. Diving into specific notification channels gives users the option to control the importance of notifications, their sound, whether they trigger hardware notification lights, vibration, and more.
For GroupMe, Microsoft has chosen to allow you to control categories for group messages and direct messages. The channels can be toggled on and off, and you can designate specific settings to differentiate group and direct messages from one another. For those who want the extra control, notification channels can be useful for cutting down on the types of notifications you get without sacrificing others.
On top of support for Oreo's notification channels, the latest update includes some minor bug fixes. Here's a look at what's new:
- Now support notification channels and Android Oreo
- Fixed a bug that was causing issues with saving or sharing certain media
- You're not able to upload low-resolution media
- Other bug fixes and improvements
Notification channels are rolling out now for GroupMe beta testers on Android with version 5.20.4. Assuming testing goes well, it should make its way to the release version before too long.
Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the Editor in Chief for Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. Got a hot tip? Send it to daniel.thorp-lancaster@futurenet.com.
