Today we’re launching the most requested feature for BlackBerry: native
push notifications. Now, after you download the new version
of foursquare (v 1.9.5), you will know instantly when your friends
check in. With BlackBerry native push notifications, no more getting an
update 20 minutes late, or having to leave foursquare running in the
backgroundWhat is the BlackBerry Push Service?
More than just an alert! The BlackBerry Push Service allows an application to give the user immediate access to information that no other platform can provide in quite the same way. The BlackBerry user sees a notification appear, letting them know that one of their applications has new information for them. They can quickly go to that app (without having to shut down anything they are currently doing) and the new information is right there. Users don't have to open the app and download the new information, the new content has already been pushed (BlackBerry developers can push up to 8KB of content in each push).
It's not a notification that tells you to go get information, it brings you the information. Other platforms flip the flag up on the mailbox, letting you know it's time to go to the end of the driveway and get your mail. BlackBerry Push delivers the mail to your kitchen table, open and ready to be read.
But wait. There's more…
Applications leveraging BlackBerry Push Service don't have to compete with other applications that are receiving pushes. One application's latest push won't trump another application's existing push – users won't miss their chance to see all the latest information available to them.
What is being made available today?
The BlackBerry Push Service has two options: BlackBerry Push Essentials is a free service that developers can incorporate into their applications and allows them to push content to their customers with unparalleled immediacy. BlackBerry Push Plus which has a free tier and paid tiers, provides developers with notification that their push has been delivered. If a content provider needs to get information to someone, they can tell if the target device has received the push.
