Sometimes I get notifications, sometimes I don't. The message is there as though it has been read. Also, you need to make it notify you with a sound ALL the time you receive a text, not like it it's now that when the conversation is open it only vibrates (if you have that setting checked, if not, you will have no idea unless you are looking at your phone) I know you said this is done intentionally so it won't be "annoying", as you put it, but I think that should be my option.