There’s a difference between iOS and Android notifications that’s worth harping on a little.

iOS notifications are unidirectional: clicking on a notification updates app state. Notifications are essentially fire-and-forget, and tend to accumulate if not cleared out regularly. Android notifications are bidirectional: clicking on a notification updates app state and app state can update notifications. App state and notification state are more tightly coupled, allowing for the user to update the link wherever they are – in app or in their notification lists.

To me, iOS notifications are more or less a historical record of things that happened on your phone. Android notifications, however, are a live to-do list – a current, relevant list of things that require your attention.

In my ordinary singular and unique quest to find the perfect to-do list, Android comes out on top.