Microsoft Didn't Have Time to Add Notifications to WP8

By Zak Islam
published

Only way to deliver notifications on mobile platform is through an app that uses Live Tiles.

Microsoft has admitted that the lack of a central hub for notifications in Windows Phone 8 is due to the developers running out of time to integrate the feature.

During the Microsoft BUILD event, where the firm announced Windows 8 has sold over four million units, Thomas Fennel admitted the reason behind the lack of a notification center in WP8: "It's very, very important to me… we get tons of feedback from developers that they want something like that as well. I promise we're thinking very, very hard on that one."

Although Microsoft's platform does deliver notifications through its Live Tiles system, notifications for users can't be seen in a central hub. A notification center can also assist users in tracking older notifications that may be lost.

For applications that don't utilize Live Tiles, developers are left without a method of sending its users important notifications.

Microsoft is likely to incorporate the feature in a future build of the just-released Windows Phone 8.

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Zak Islam
38 Comments Comment from the forums
  • aftcomet
    Weak.
    Reply
  • halcyon
    Service Pack 1
    Reply
  • DroKing
    Thats very weak. I 2nd aftcomet. You disappoint me msft. Ill just wait till WP8 get better then I just might be tickled for a first smartphone ever.
    Reply
  • manwell999
    WP8 users didn't get the notification not to buy WP8
    Reply
  • jhansonxi
    A rush job but a common problem when developing products with a mandatory ship date (like the year-end holidays).
    Reply
  • assasin32
    I'd rather like it when companies release something late and with the product fully completed and done. Rather than have to wait for them to patch it up, if they ever get around to it after release.

    And to get a response from them saying "There are delays and we will release X product when it is done and up to our standards" it shows that they won't push a POS product on us and only release something worthy to me.
    Reply
  • coder543
    assasin32I'd rather like it when companies release something late and with the product fully completed and done. Rather than have to wait for them to patch it up, if they ever get around to it after release. And to get a response from them saying "There are delays and we will release X product when it is done and up to our standards" it shows that they won't push a POS product on us and only release something worthy to me.
    This is Microsoft.
    Reply
  • halcyon
    I've been using Win8 in a VM. Its just frustrating. I guess I need to be patient and wonder why they didn't try to make it intuitive to navigate the UI changes.
    Reply
  • ddpruitt
    Me thinks that there is something else afoot. I doubt they would leave something like this out because they're pressed for time. Something like a central notification hub is trivial to implement (day or so work for one guy). I think they have other concerns here they are trying to work around (like getting sued by Apple or having their device blocked by a court).
    Reply
  • damianrobertjones
    To the people that keep saying 'weak'... I bet you didn't even notice or know that the feature wasn't going to be included.

    P.s. This is a WP8 article not W8.
    Reply