Android 16 could come with a new “Rich Ongoing Notifications” feature that allows developers to keep persistent notifications in the Android status bar, according to Android 15 beta code spotted by Android Authorityis Mishaal Rahman, who often dives into the code to discover new features.
Currently the code allows adding a pill-shaped icon with custom text and background color to the Android status bar. Some mock notifications created by Rahman show how they can be used, for example, to tell you when to expect your Uber to arrive. Android has had such a feature since Android 12, which lets you know how long you've been on the phone, notes Rahman.
It looks similar to iOS's Live Activities feature, which shows things like timers, sports scores and estimated delivery dates on users' lock screens and at the top of notifications. On iPhone 14 Pro and later, they appear as widgets that are just a glance away in the Dynamic Island cutout while you do other things on your phone.
I would love to have something like this on my Pixel 6 phone. Live Activities are a great way to remember a parking meter I paid through my city's parking app or to quickly check when a grocery delivery is arriving. Having something similar on Android would be one less obstacle for me to switch back to the platform in the future.