Push Notifications for Factory Apps: Alert the Right Person at the Right Time

FCM vs APNs: How Mobile Push Works

Android push notifications go through Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). iOS push notifications go through Apple Push Notification service (APNs). Your backend sends the notification to FCM/APNs, which delivers it to the device — even if the app is not open. This is fundamentally different from WebSocket alerts which require the app to be open and connected.

Notification Fatigue: The Biggest Risk

Factory supervisors receiving 50+ push notifications per shift will disable notifications entirely within a week. Design alert thresholds carefully: only alert when human action is required immediately. A machine stopping for 5 minutes during normal lunch break should not alert anyone. A machine stopping for 15 minutes during production time should alert the line supervisor. Downtime exceeding 45 minutes should escalate to the plant manager.

Priority and Do-Not-Disturb Handling

Android supports notification channels with different priority levels. Create a "Critical Alert" channel that bypasses Do Not Disturb mode — used only for serious machine faults on bottleneck lines. iOS critical alerts require Apple entitlement approval and should be reserved for genuine emergencies. Most factory alerts should use high-priority but not critical channels.

WhatsApp as Notification Fallback

In India, WhatsApp message delivery is more reliable than push notifications in areas with poor mobile data connectivity. Use the WhatsApp Business API as a fallback for critical alerts — if the push notification is not acknowledged within 5 minutes, send a WhatsApp message to the supervisor. This dual-channel approach is used in most of our factory deployments.