Apple today announced that native iPhone applications will be able to receive updates and notifications on a limited basis even after the user as quit the application. The lack of persistent connections for third-party iPhone applications led to some complaining among developers when it was announced in March. With the new system, there will be a persistent connection between the iPhone and Apple that will allow services to push three types of notifications to users: badges (how many messages), custom alert sounds, and custom textual alerts. Developers can provide buttons to reload the app in notification messages, and the service will work over both Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Available in September, developers will get access to the feature next month.
Charles Starrett
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.