Updating GUI: Runnables vs Messages

To update the GUI from other threads, there are basically two main approaches:

1. Use java.lang.Runnable with any of these methods:

   Activity.runOnUiThread(Runnable)
   View.post(Runnable)
   View.postDelayed(Runnable, long)
   Handler.post(Runnable)
   

2. Use android.os.Message:

   Handler.sendMessage(Message) / Handler.handleMessage(Message)
   

You can also use AsyncTask, but my question is more focused on the use case of updating a very simple component. Let's see how it would be done using both approaches:

1. Using Runnables:

   TextViev tv = ...;
   final String data = "hello";
   Runnable r = new Runnable() {
   
       @Override
       public void run(){
           tv.setText(data);
       }
   
   };
   //Now call Activity.runOnUiThread(r) or handler.post(r), ...
   

2. Using messages:

   Message m = handler.obtainMessage(UPDATE_TEXT_VIEW, "hello");
   handler.sendMessage(m);
   
   //Now on handler implementation:
       @Override
       public void handleMessage(Message msg) {
           if(msg.what == UPDATE_TEXT_VIEW){
               String s = (String) msg.obj;
               tv.setText(data);
           } ... //other IFs?
       }
   

IMHO, Messages are not the way to go because:

• Not easy to understand for new non-android programmers (handler hooks to its thread during construction).
• Object payload should be Parcellable if the message crosses process boundaries.
• Messages are reused (error prone if not properly cleaned up?)
• The handler has a dual role (it sends messages, but also handles them)
• Message attributes are public, but also offer getter/setter.

On the other hand, Runnables follow the well known command pattern, and are more programmer-friendly and readable.

So what are the advantages of using Messages over Runnables? Are Messages pushed into the background in modern