A method for generating message notifications at a mobile device, the method comprising: receiving (1802, 1902) a message at the mobile device, wherein the received message is associated with a first communication channel; determining (1904, 2002) at the mobile device a current operating context of the mobile device, wherein the current operating context comprises displaying in an application a message associated with a second communication channel; in accordance with notification display settings associated with the determined current operating context when the first communication channel differs from the second communication channel: generating (1906, 2004) at the mobile device a first display notification representation for the received message; determining at the mobile device gesture information from a touch input component; and generating at the mobile device a second display notification representation comprising at least a portion of the received message and an action area for performing a direct action associated with the received message in response to the determined gesture information while in the determined current operating context; and in accordance with notification display settings associated with the determined current operating context when the first communication channel is the same as the second communication channel: suppressing a first display notification representation for the received message. receiving (1802, 1902) a message at the mobile device, wherein the received message is associated with a first communication channel; determining (1904, 2002) at the mobile device a current operating context of the mobile device, wherein the current operating context comprises displaying in an application a message associated with a second communication channel; in accordance with notification display settings associated with the determined current operating context when the first communication channel differs from the second communication channel: generating (1906, 2004) at the mobile device a first display notification representation for the received message; determining at the mobile device gesture information from a touch input component; and generating at the mobile device a second display notification representation comprising at least a portion of the received message and an action area for performing a direct action associated with the received message in response to the determined gesture information while in the determined current operating context; and generating (1906, 2004) at the mobile device a first display notification representation for the received message; determining at the mobile device gesture information from a touch input component; and generating at the mobile device a second display notification representation comprising at least a portion of the received message and an action area for performing a direct action associated with the received message in response to the determined gesture information while in the determined current operating context; and in accordance with notification display settings associated with the determined current operating context when the first communication channel is the same as the second communication channel: suppressing a first display notification representation for the received message.