Android 16 Could Solve Notification Woes with a Gmail-Inspired Feature
Managing notifications on Android has always been simple and effective. However, the notification system has seen little evolution over the years. Recent insights suggest that Google might revamp notifications in a future Android release—possibly Android 16—by integrating a Gmail-inspired sorting feature.
Gmail has long allowed users to categorize emails into tabs like Primary, Social, Promotions, and Updates for easier management. According to developer Mishaal Rahman, a similar feature might be coming to Android.
In the latest Android 15 QPR2 beta update, a hidden section called “Bundled notifications” was found in the Notifications settings. While the feature is currently disabled, Rahman managed to activate it, offering a glimpse into its functionality.
Tapping the option reveals a description stating that “notifications with similar themes will be silenced and grouped for a quieter experience.” The feature would override individual app notification settings, allowing users to choose categories such as Promotions, News, Social, and Recommendations.
How Android’s Bundled Notifications Might Work
It seems this feature would group notifications from apps within the same category, reducing the number of individual notifications users receive. However, it remains unclear how this will work, especially since some custom Android skins, like Samsung’s One UI, already offer notification sorting by priority or time.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Google leverages AI for this notification filter, similar to Apple’s “Summarize Notifications and reduce interruptions” feature introduced with iOS 18.
It’s still unknown when Google plans to roll out bundled notifications. Furthermore, it could arrive in an upcoming Android 15 update or debut with Android 16. If it’s the latter, the wait might not be long—Google has confirmed that Android 16 will be released earlier than usual.
How do you think grouping app notifications would be useful for you? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Source: Android Authority
