iOS Components and Frameworks: Understanding the Advanced Features of the iOS SDK

Differences Between Local and Push Notifications

Two types of notifications are supported by iOS: local notifications and remote, or push, notifications. Local notifications do not use or require any external infrastructure; they happen entirely on the device. That means that the device does not require any connectivity—besides being “on”—to present a local notification. Push notifications, however, require connectivity and a server infrastructure of some kind to send the notification through the Apple Push Notification service (APNs) to the intended device. It is important to note that push notification delivery is not guaranteed, so it is not appropriate to assume that every notification gets to its intended target. Do not make your application ...