Push notifications and how it works

Feb 19, 2001
20,155
23
81
Can someone help me fully understand it? For an app like IM+ or Beejive, you enter an email address so I understand any IMs you get while the app is off gets sent to that email.

1) How does this switch to email occur? When you disconnect from say AIM on IM+, does the program then send some command to some server to keep your AIM connection alive, and then forward it to your email?

I'm looking @ my gmail and I see the IMs delivered there, so that's a temporary storage.

2) How do those IMs at my gmail then make it to AIM? Do the e-mails auto forward to AIM (how the hell does that work), or what.

3) Is there some part of the IM app still running in an idle state such that it can accept an incoming push notification or else I'm not understanding how. Does this need to be an app by app basis or does the iPhone just need to have it, and what about AT&T? Is this a network thing also?

Let me put this in perspective. Person A tries to send mail to Person B. Person B is not there, so Person C kicks in and checks Person B's mailbox automatically. Then when Person B gets back home, Person C personally delivers it into Person B's hands. This is push put into a RL situation.

1) How does Person C know to start collecting Person B's mail? Does Person B notify Person C like you do to the post office to put a vacation hold on your mail?
2) How does Person C know when Person B is back so that Person C can deliver the mail? Person C can't deliver the mail too early. He has to hold it till B gets back.
3) Only can rephrase the last part, but certainly a service is required right? Like the USPS has a vacation hold system, so this must be built in the network? Or is this simply client side?

Edit: Apparently thats the fake push email, not the real push that Apple's enabled in 3.0. I have yet to experience this.

Edit 2: I'm retarded. So the reason I log back on and get IMs is because AIM/AOL has its own offline messaging capabilities right? I was thinking by turning on push e-mail in IM+/Beejive you somehow use your e-mail account as a temporary hold and then it forwards those to your IM once you come back on (which is why I don't get how that could possible work and was asking if the e-mail itself embeds code or something). So all the push IM to e-mail does is auto foward your IMs to your e-mail so you can read your e-mails and find out what people IMed you. Correct?
 

ChAoTiCpInOy

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2006
6,442
1
81
It goes through Apple's servers. When the app is off, the servers can't send to the app so it send its as a notification. I would assume.
 

Rottie

Diamond Member
Feb 10, 2002
4,795
1
81
AIM free version with ad support got upgrade for push notification...that is a lot better than before...It will send a new message on the screen just like you got a phone call or sms when you are not at AIM.
 

ManBearPig

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
9,173
6
81
i hear push drains battery pretty fast though. i think the only app i have that would use push is the email app (default), and since i dont really care if the info is constantly updated since i dont use my email for important issues, i just disabled push. i dont mind manually updating (because i dont get email often enough for it to be an issue :D ).
 

ChAoTiCpInOy

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2006
6,442
1
81
Originally posted by: Kazaam
i hear push drains battery pretty fast though. i think the only app i have that would use push is the email app (default), and since i dont really care if the info is constantly updated since i dont use my email for important issues, i just disabled push. i dont mind manually updating (because i dont get email often enough for it to be an issue :D ).

Not as fast as keeping the app open.
 

Wonderful Pork

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2005
1,531
1
81
I have Push AIM turned on for my iPhone 2G and I don't see a real difference in battery life. I still need to charge every day or 2. But I'm not a super heavy user, mostly web browsing/Pandora, AIM is just so I don't blow through my text plan super quick.
 

Wonderful Pork

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2005
1,531
1
81
Originally posted by: DLeRium
Can someone help me fully understand it? For an app like IM+ or Beejive, you enter an email address so I understand any IMs you get while the app is off gets sent to that email.

1) How does this switch to email occur? When you disconnect from say AIM on IM+, does the program then send some command to some server to keep your AIM connection alive, and then forward it to your email?

I'm looking @ my gmail and I see the IMs delivered there, so that's a temporary storage.

2) How do those IMs at my gmail then make it to AIM? Do the e-mails auto forward to AIM (how the hell does that work), or what.

3) Is there some part of the IM app still running in an idle state such that it can accept an incoming push notification or else I'm not understanding how. Does this need to be an app by app basis or does the iPhone just need to have it, and what about AT&T? Is this a network thing also?

Let me put this in perspective. Person A tries to send mail to Person B. Person B is not there, so Person C kicks in and checks Person B's mailbox automatically. Then when Person B gets back home, Person C personally delivers it into Person B's hands. This is push put into a RL situation.

1) How does Person C know to start collecting Person B's mail? Does Person B notify Person C like you do to the post office to put a vacation hold on your mail?
2) How does Person C know when Person B is back so that Person C can deliver the mail? Person C can't deliver the mail too early. He has to hold it till B gets back.
3) Only can rephrase the last part, but certainly a service is required right? Like the USPS has a vacation hold system, so this must be built in the network? Or is this simply client side?

Edit: Apparently thats the fake push email, not the real push that Apple's enabled in 3.0. I have yet to experience this.

Edit 2: I'm retarded. So the reason I log back on and get IMs is because AIM/AOL has its own offline messaging capabilities right? I was thinking by turning on push e-mail in IM+/Beejive you somehow use your e-mail account as a temporary hold and then it forwards those to your IM once you come back on (which is why I don't get how that could possible work and was asking if the e-mail itself embeds code or something). So all the push IM to e-mail does is auto foward your IMs to your e-mail so you can read your e-mails and find out what people IMed you. Correct?

OK, so I'm going to assume you're referring to Apple's Push Notification Service and not push in general.

That said, you're mistaken on how it works.

If you have an AIM app open and Push Notifications turned ON, when you close the app (hit the home button) you will still be logged into the AIM service (via AIMs servers I suppose) and any IMs you get are forwarded from AIM -> Apple -> your iPhone. You get an SMS-esque notification alerting you to the IM, then you open up the AIM program and resume use as normal.

Apples Push Notifications have nothing to do with Push email. Nothing is forwarded to an email or anything like that.

I don't have a clue how Apple keeps all the info straight on which messages to send to who, but I'm sure they took care of it properly seeing how it took a year to roll out once announced.
 

Rottie

Diamond Member
Feb 10, 2002
4,795
1
81
Originally posted by: Kazaam
i hear push drains battery pretty fast though. i think the only app i have that would use push is the email app (default), and since i dont really care if the info is constantly updated since i dont use my email for important issues, i just disabled push. i dont mind manually updating (because i dont get email often enough for it to be an issue :D ).

If it is true then I or other hearing impaired wouldnt buy iPhone new push notification would drain battery because they depend on IM and SMS heavly and Apple knows better to fix battery issue if everybody use texting, email, browsing heavily.
 
Feb 19, 2001
20,155
23
81
Originally posted by: Wonderful Pork
Originally posted by: DLeRium
Can someone help me fully understand it? For an app like IM+ or Beejive, you enter an email address so I understand any IMs you get while the app is off gets sent to that email.

1) How does this switch to email occur? When you disconnect from say AIM on IM+, does the program then send some command to some server to keep your AIM connection alive, and then forward it to your email?

I'm looking @ my gmail and I see the IMs delivered there, so that's a temporary storage.

2) How do those IMs at my gmail then make it to AIM? Do the e-mails auto forward to AIM (how the hell does that work), or what.

3) Is there some part of the IM app still running in an idle state such that it can accept an incoming push notification or else I'm not understanding how. Does this need to be an app by app basis or does the iPhone just need to have it, and what about AT&T? Is this a network thing also?

Let me put this in perspective. Person A tries to send mail to Person B. Person B is not there, so Person C kicks in and checks Person B's mailbox automatically. Then when Person B gets back home, Person C personally delivers it into Person B's hands. This is push put into a RL situation.

1) How does Person C know to start collecting Person B's mail? Does Person B notify Person C like you do to the post office to put a vacation hold on your mail?
2) How does Person C know when Person B is back so that Person C can deliver the mail? Person C can't deliver the mail too early. He has to hold it till B gets back.
3) Only can rephrase the last part, but certainly a service is required right? Like the USPS has a vacation hold system, so this must be built in the network? Or is this simply client side?

Edit: Apparently thats the fake push email, not the real push that Apple's enabled in 3.0. I have yet to experience this.

Edit 2: I'm retarded. So the reason I log back on and get IMs is because AIM/AOL has its own offline messaging capabilities right? I was thinking by turning on push e-mail in IM+/Beejive you somehow use your e-mail account as a temporary hold and then it forwards those to your IM once you come back on (which is why I don't get how that could possible work and was asking if the e-mail itself embeds code or something). So all the push IM to e-mail does is auto foward your IMs to your e-mail so you can read your e-mails and find out what people IMed you. Correct?

OK, so I'm going to assume you're referring to Apple's Push Notification Service and not push in general.

That said, you're mistaken on how it works.

If you have an AIM app open and Push Notifications turned ON, when you close the app (hit the home button) you will still be logged into the AIM service (via AIMs servers I suppose) and any IMs you get are forwarded from AIM -> Apple -> your iPhone. You get an SMS-esque notification alerting you to the IM, then you open up the AIM program and resume use as normal.

Apples Push Notifications have nothing to do with Push email. Nothing is forwarded to an email or anything like that.

I don't have a clue how Apple keeps all the info straight on which messages to send to who, but I'm sure they took care of it properly seeing how it took a year to roll out once announced.

Yeah i'm curious how it works on the back end. It's not just phone # because obviously the iPod works too. I have the new AIM 3.0 and it gives me push notifications. So then maybe it's like an authenticated session between device and server. It shouldn't be IP address because what if you move from work to home? Not only does your cell tower change, your wifi network changes, and hence your IP changes...

BTW when I mentioned push e-mail I was referring to IM+ and Beejive's previous push e-mail functions where they had a way to forward your IMs. This was pre 3.0, and IM+ still doesn't have full push yet (waiting for v3.1). I was exploring the push e-mail functions, and why I would get the IMs after I login, but apparently that's AIM's own offline messaging capabilties, and the push email for IM only forwarded your IMs to your e-mail inbox. I was mistaken and I combined the two features into one thinking that IM+ was capable of forwarding your IMs to e-mail and then sending you your IMs once you log in, making me think that the e-mail itself did it all (which is well... impossible).
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
BlackBerry do it via a unique device PIN number, an 8 digit alpha numeric. I suspect Apple use a similar system as it is then independent of the device Phone number.