title: Is there any reason to continue using IntentService for handling GCM messages?
body: <p>As you know, recently Google changed their GCM documentation, and they claim that an <code>IntentService</code> is no longer required for handling arriving GCM messages. All the handling can be done in the <code>BroadcastReceiver</code>.</p>
  
  <p>When trying to figure out if there is any good reason to continue using the <code>IntentService</code>, I came across this <a href="http://developer.android.com/google/gcm/client.html" rel="nofollow">quote</a>:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>A Service (typically an IntentService) to which the WakefulBroadcastReceiver passes off the work of handling the GCM message, while ensuring that the device does not go back to sleep in the process. <strong>Including an IntentService is optional</strong>—you could choose to process your messages in a regular BroadcastReceiver instead, <strong>but realistically, most apps will use a IntentService</strong>.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Why would most apps use an <code>IntentService</code>? Are there any scenarios in which handling the GCM message directly in the <code>BroadcastReceiver</code> won't work? </p>