IDEA: Self notifying iOS apps

OK simple concept. You deveop an iOS application and want to let people who have installed it that there’s an update. Sure you can sit there waiting for the Appstore to approve your update then somehow let people know or…..

1. Include push notifications in your app

2. Release a new version

3. A user downloads the new version

4. App checks with a web service on launch to see if this person is the first person to install

5. If so, a push message to all registered devices running the app goes out reminding them that a new version is available.

So as soon as someone downloads and runs your update, everyone else gets a pop-up message to upgrade.

Nice?