Simulate the Moto X Active Display on 4.3 with ActiveNotifications

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The long-rumored Moto X was finally released last week to a relatively mixed reception from tech enthusiasts everywhere. While the device is far from a class-leading smartphone in terms of raw specifications, it carries with it some interesting features that set it apart from the sea of other Android device. One of these features is the new Active Display functionality, which is supposed to make special use of the device’s somewhat unique processor architecture and AMOLED display in order to periodically display critical information on the lock screen without any user input.

Due to the somewhat lackluster hardware specs, many of us will not buy the Moto X. However, that doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t want Active Display on our own devices. If you’ve found yourself longing for the feature, XDA Forum Member niko001 may have the perfect application for you with ActiveNotifications.

ActiveNotifications simulates the Moto X feature on Android 4.3 devices by using the OS build’s new Notification Listener service. Because of this, battery drain on AMOLED devices running this modification shouldn’t be terribly high, regardless of processor architecture. As stated by the developer:

It uses the new “Notification Listener” service introduced in 4.3 and therefore has minimal impact on your battery. If you own an AMOLED-phone, the “battery saving” feature should work automatically, since black pixels are simply not turned on. The app comes with similar features as the Moto X Active Display (such as not turning on when the device is inside your pocket, purse, or lying face down). Unfortunately, relying on the 4.3 Notification Listener also means that you need a device running Android 4.3 (which are pretty scarce at the moment)…I’ll think about creating a version for older versions of Android if there is enough interest.

Essentially, this is only practical on AMOLED devices running Android 4.3. Currently, this brings the list of officially supported devices down to 2: the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Google Play edition. However, if you’re running a custom 4.3-based firmware and have an AMOLED panel, this may well be up your alley.

Head over to the original thread to get started.