So, after testing out 5 different apps, I found 2 apps that satisfactorily met my aforementioned needs. (Note: These apps don’t have the Android N’s quick reply functionality.) Let’s dig in.
1. Notifly
If you’re on the latest version of WhatsApp then you must see a Quick Reply button in the notification. Tapping on the button will open a widget through which you can quickly reply and send the message. With Notifly you can get the same widget style quick reply functionality for your messaging apps. For now, the app supports only Skype, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Here’s how the widget looks using Notifly. You also get a chat bubble with badge counts. So, let’s see what more you can do with Notifly.
Turn on the Services
After you install Notifly you need to turn on the notification access for the app. Depending on what messaging app you’re using turn on/off the services in the app itself. Now, you can further customize the services. Tap on the Settings button of the specific messaging service.
Customization
The best part of this app is customization and you get that for free. Here you can set the badge color and Notifly color. You can even completely turn off the chat bubble. The chat bubble can work as a great alternative to Facebook messenger’s chat heads. It also works on the lock screen, enabling you to quickly reply directly from the lock screen itself. In the app settings, you can set the size of the bubble and also set the default position. Another great feature you get is the binding of the Notifly app with the system settings. In the service settings you can set how the app will behave based on the system actions done by you. For example, if you remove the notification of the message from notification drawer then it will also be removed from the chat bubble. Do you want to customize the appearance of the Notification in the Notification Drawer? Here’s an app that will let you do so.
2. quickReply
If you want more control on how you reply messages then you should use quickReply. It’s an Android App developed by the developers of Floatify. We had shared about Floatify in the past. So, this app will share some of its features.
It has chat head notifications and quick shortcut for recently messaged contacts on the lock screen and notification drawer. Here’s how the notification of the message in the notification drawer looks.
You can quick reply, send a direct message (more on that later) and check it as Read. quickReply works with most of the messaging apps. Here’s how a quick reply to a message looks like.
It just like a Heads-up notification with reply option. One of the interesting features in this app is direct reply. You can create a predefined message that you use many times and then select this message for a direct reply.
But, in order to add your own direct message you need to buy the PRO version. Not just this option but many customization options like wake screen on notification, messenger style reply, multiple messages and more are buried behind a paywall that costs $2. But, if you’re chat-savvy and like this app’s features then you should definitely go for it. Or else Notifly is the best, in my opinion.
ALSO SEE: 4 Superb Android Apps that Work Like an Extension for WhatsApp
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