Apple Inviting Devs to Test Their Push Notification Service, Servers

[sayam]

After waiting for over an year, it seems that Apple has finally opened it's gates for all willing to enjoy push notification service on their iPhone, in an effort to combat the lack of backgrounding services.



Apple today sent out an email to the registered developers to test an app, made for the very purpose of testing the strength of their servers dedicated to the push notification service.

This is a great initiative by Apple, given they announced they already have 50,000 registered developers on the 3.0 event. Even if many, not most help, the service can be tested to the fullest. Hurriedly "pushing" it out like MobileMe last year might have proved more of a disaster than a boon. MobileMe has improved a lot and we hope that Push Notification starts with a little professionalism as well.

Help test the Apple Push Notification service

Dear [redacted],

As a developer actively working with iPhone OS 3.0 beta, we would like your help in testing the Apple Push Notification service. We have selected a pre-release version of the Associated Press app for iPhone OS 3.0 to create a high-volume test environment for our servers.

To participate, we ask that you follow these steps:

1. Download the pre-release version of the Associated Press app for iPhone OS 3.0 from the iTunes Store via your desktop by entering this unique redemption code in the ‘Redeem’ section of iTunes, found under the ‘Quick Links’ section: [redacted] This unique redemption code and the functionality of the application will expire in seven days.
   
2. Install the application on a development device running iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5 by synching it to iTunes. Make sure to accept notifications when prompted after installation. This application can only be installed on devices running iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5.
   
3. When you first run the app, choose U.S. English as your region when prompted. The U.S. English region will receive alerts, the Canadian English region will not. For purposes of the test, AP will be sending a high-volume of real news alerts.
   
4. If you do not receive notifications from the app within 48 hours after installation, let us know.

We appreciate your assistance,

iPhone Developer Program

[TheiPhoneBlog]

[conoven]

Yea, im downloading right now... Im gonna restore my iphone first since its being laggy, then try this out!

[DeathReward]

so wait... is canada getting the push notifications?

[c0mpguru]

Can people who are using Beta 5 through a dev use this too? Or is it only for the developers themselves? I'm on a dev's account and would like to try it out.

[sayam]

Can people who are using Beta 5 through a dev use this too? Or is it only for the developers themselves? I'm on a dev's account and would like to try it out.

if your dev friend doesn't use his code and passes it on to you, you can do it

[imode]

if your dev friend doesn't use his code and passes it on to you, you can do it

Not available in some (perhaps most) countries, e.g. Australia. I was given a promotion code by apple then given a an error message in response

[confucious]

It's good that they are testing it but even if all 50k devs try it, that is a drop in the ocean compared to the number of users that they need to cater for.
Let's hope they have the infrastructure set up and running on Day one of FW 3.0 - and in all countries!

[BenzoHartt]

It's good that they are testing it but even if all 50k devs try it, that is a drop in the ocean compared to the number of users that they need to cater for.
Let's hope they have the infrastructure set up and running on Day one of FW 3.0 - and in all countries!

agreed!