Google Cloud Messaging (Android Push) Delivery Channel

The Android Push delivery channel allows Connect to deliver Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) notifications to applications running on Android devices. In Android terminology, Connect acts as a third-party application server and sends data to an Android application running on a mobile device via the GCM servers.

The Android Push delivery channel may be used to deliver notifications to multiple Android applications. Each application must be configured as a separate delivery channel, with a unique name, GCM API key, and customer attribute to store the device token.

Note: The Android Push delivery channel currently supports one installed device per application and per customer. It does not support the case where a customer has a single app installed on two different devices (e.g. an app is installed on a customer's phone and tablet).

Prerequisite: Obtaining an API Key

In order to connect to the GCM servers and send messages, Connect needs a GCM API key. To obtain an API key, perform the following steps:

Log into the Google APIs Console Page using a Google account.
Create a Project. Each Project has a Project Number shown in Google APIs Project Dashboard page.
Enable the GCM Service for the Project.
In the Google APIs Console Page, click API Access and create a new server key. The new API key will be shown on the screen after you create the server key.

The GCM: Getting Started page describes this process in detail.

Android Application Requirements

In order for a device to receive GCM messages, the device must have a logged in Google account and the application must register with the GCM Service. When the Android application registers with the GCM Service, it provides the Project Number and receives a Registration ID that identifies the application running on that unique device. This Registration ID must be stored in the channel customer attribute for each customer before Connect can send notifications to that customer. This is typically done by having the application send the Registration ID to a Connect web service, or some other web service that updates the customer record in Connect.

Google provides a GCM demo application that explains the Android application requrements in detail.