In this chapter, we've explored the amazing world of notifications. Even though notifications are simple in nature and short-lived, they are a vital part of the iOS ecosystem and users rely on them to provide timely, interesting, and relevant updates about subjects that matter to them, right then and there.

You saw how to go from the basics, simply scheduling a notification, to more advanced subjects such as custom actions. These actions provide users with the possibility to act on the notifications they receive directly.

Next, you saw that service notification extensions in iOS 10 allow you to implement great new features, such as true end-to-end encryption, or enrich push notifications with content that is stored on the device.

Finally, we explored content extensions and you saw how a content extension can take a simple, plain notification and make it interesting, rich, and more relevant. The example of a calendar that appears with event invites comes to mind immediately, but the possibilities are endless.

It's been mentioned in this chapter many times before, but notifications in iOS 10 truly are a game-changer and making good use of the new features will provide your users with an experience that blows your competition right out of the water. As with any technique, you shouldn't overdo it, but implementing the right features for the right notifications will make everybody happier.

The next chapter will explore another great new iOS 10 feature: extending iMessage.