We just want to make sure that our readers can develop an Android app for our IoT examples. We will not go in to many details as there are existing nice guides with Android source code by the others. It is Not Difficult to Develop Android App to Receive Push Notification ESP32 Arduino as There Are Source Code, Easy Web UI Tools. You need not to be an expert Android app developer to just develop an app which will receive notification from an event like button press to send HTTP POST request towards IBM Watson IoT service. IBM Watson IoT is an example IoT platform. We have shown steps of these things with IBM Watson IoT as you probably wish to do more than just pushing a button in future. However, the things are not just easy especially for the newbie (otherwise there would not be the necessity to write this guide).
You will need to install Android Studio on your computer. You will need to have a Firebase account.
New users get confused with the facts: when we can use Firebase directly to send a push message to Android with an app then why IBM Cloud’s backend is necessary? We could hit Firebase directly from ESP32, it would ping the Android app. It is correct logic and that way actually work and there are tutorials of such. But without own running server backend with free Firebase, Android app will have the chance of a miss, the app will not be highly configurable. You not can control to channel email, SMS as fall back options besides push. When you are running the Android app with a backend, it will have a lesser chance of missing any hit. As Android OS is not of IBM, they can minimally help you avoiding Firebase. So using IBM or anyone’s backend requiring Firebase. You better count Firebase as “registration for Android”. So we can offer you two options – (i) IBM’s backend freeway and (ii) with IBM’s backend. Both are similar from Android app development point as we have the source code of app but after the common step of configuring Firebase, they are different at the Android app creation step. Which is easy among the two? IBM’s backend freeway is easier as you are avoiding many steps, you may try it first.
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For IBM’s way, follow this official guide :
1 | https://console.bluemix.net/docs/tutorials/android-mobile-push-analytics.html#android-native-mobile-application-with-push-notifications |
For IBM’s backend freeway rather generic way, follow this guide :
1 | https://www.survivingwithandroid.com/2016/09/android-firebase-push-notification.html |
This much we had to direct you. survivingwithandroid.com is a good website for Android things. If we distribute our ready to use the Android app, that will make you ping when we are pinged! Sadly, none of us can help you too much around delivering a dedicated own app. Essentially you’ll develop a “Hello World!” like app.
