Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Will Come with Improved Notifications, Has Support for Google Glass and Smartwatch, Too

While we are still waiting for Android 4.3 to be officially unveiled, we have new information about Google’s next OS version. It seems that Android 4.3 might have a totally reworked notification system, at least that is what a leaked Android 4.3 version (which can be already installed on some handsets) shows.

If we are to believe the folks at Android Police, Android 4.3 includes some new notification code, which will basically let third-party applications to duplicate the notification panel. In other words, other handsets paired with a smartphone or tablet that runs Android will be granted access to the notifications.

Nevertheless, the same website suggests that available Android 4.3 code shows that third-party applications will not be supported, at least not right away. Those kind of apps will not be allowed to read notifications as mentioned, which is due to the set permissions that are too high for third-party applications. Further, the permissions will accept just system applications and Google/OEM applications to read the notifications.

It seems that Google is getting its operating system ready to be accessed by other portable gadgets, not just the smartphone and tablets. And one reason why the internet giant is modifying Android notifications beginning with Android 4.3 is because the company will soon be launching Google Glass. Also, there is another gadget rumored to be in the works, namely an Android smartwatch.

Besides the two Google branded gadgets, there are other devices that can be used in the same way. For example, the Pebble smartwatch could access the brand new notification system included in Android 4.3. The users will be allowed to perform actions related to the notifications they receive directly from the mentioned portable gadgets, which, of course, will have to be connected to the Android handsets.

Furthermore, the developers might be allowed to make their own custom notification panels, and users will be able to choose an alternative to the default one. Put differently, the smartphone and tablet users could utilize the stock Android notification panel rather than the panel that come as default on their handset. Still, it looks like there is still a long to go until it could be possible.

Anyway, there is no easy task for the applications which presently need to access notifications, thus the changes that might be made to the notification system of Android 4.3 will certainly help a lot.

Another interesting thing is the fact that Android 4.3 also features a notification history, which will display the users the current notifications and the past ones all together. I don’t know if the notification history has anything to do with the Google Glass timeline feature, but they are definitely similar. The timeline feature basically stores all the actions performed with Google Glass, and the database can be later accessed.

All in all, even though we may know many changes that will come along with Android 4.3, like the notification panel, the Roboto font enhancements, and other improvements, the OS is yet to be official. We expect more novelties to be featured considering the time it takes Google to release Android 4.3.