With the iPhone 16.4 update, there are finally web push notifications that bring the functionality of iPhones on par with Android devices.
TSI, as a provider of fleet management solutions, had already integrated this function for a long time. Now, finally, iPhone users can also use this popular feature of the TSI Connect app to receive notifications for important events, such as car theft alerts.
What are web push notifications?
Web push notifications are a type of notification that are sent directly to the smartphone without having to actively open any app. They work in a similar way to SMS or emails, except that they are much quicker and easier to receive. This function is used by many companies to inform users about important events. Prior to the iPhone 16.4 update, such notifications were only available on Android devices.
How do Web Push notifications work on iPhone 16.4?
With the iPhone 16.4 update, notifications can be sent directly to the device without having to open the app. These notifications are then displayed as a banner or on the lock screen. The user can then decide whether to open or ignore the notification.
Telematics solutions from TSI support web push notifications
At TSI, we are proud that our telematics solutions have long included support for web push notifications. This feature is of great importance to many companies as it enables users to react immediately to urgent events.
In the field of telematics, modern technologies have revolutionised the monitoring and controlling process in various industries. With the help of telematics, plants, buildings, technical devices and measuring stations can be monitored and controlled. This type of monitoring is an effective way to detect and prevent potential failures and errors, thereby reducing costs and minimising damage.
Alerts via WebPush notifications offer a number of advantages in this regard that can improve the monitoring and control of plants, buildings, technical devices and measuring stations. Some of these benefits include:
- Faster alerts: Alerts and WebPush notifications give users quick warnings when problems occur, allowing the user to act quickly in order to prevent potential failures and damages.
- Reduction of downtime: Through the use of alerts and WebPush notifications, issues can be identified and resolved quickly before they become a major problem. This reduces downtime of facilities, equipment and buildings, contributing to higher productivity.
- Safety improvements: Alerts and WebPush notifications can also help improving the safety of staff and users by signalling potentially dangerous situations. For example, they can indicate an excessive CO2 concentration in a room or a fire alarm.
- Better control: By using alerts and WebPush notifications, users can improve control over their facilities, equipment and buildings. They receive quick alerts and can act quickly to solve problems and avoid outages.
Instant notifications via WebPush were previously only available to users of Android devices due to the lack of support from Apple. iPhone owners had to resort to notifications via email or SMS, despite the fact that the function was already integrated and available for a long time in the telematics solutions of TSI. In the professional sector, many companies have thus far preferred to choose Android devices for their technicians, service personnel and employees who use telematics in their daily work.
Optimise vehicle monitoring and theft protection with GPS tracking and web push notifications
In today's world, vehicles are an essential part of our daily lives. Whether for transporting people or goods, mobility and transport are essential to our modern world. But with this valuable property comes the need to protect it. Vehicle telematics and theft protection are important tools to protect vehicles from theft and optimise fleet operations.
With the use of GPS tracking devices, vehicles can be monitored in real time. Web push notifications can help optimise vehicle oversight by sending notifications to the fleet manager when the vehicle leaves or enters a certain zone or when it shows unexpected movements.
The use of web push notifications can also help to improve vehicle security. In the event of theft, fleet managers or drivers can be notified immediately via push notifications. This can allow them to quickly take action to recover the vehicle or ensure the driver's safety.
In addition, web push notifications can be used to inform owners of stolen vehicles and allow them to notify the police or private security services. In this way, the vehicle can be tracked down quickly before major damage or loss occurs.
Another popular additional function is our immobiliser, which can be installed in the vehicle to immobilise the vehicle's engine starter if necessary. This effectively prevents the vehicle from being driven away by thieves or unauthorised individuals.
TSI Connect app: real-time vehicle monitoring and management
The TSI Connect app offers numerous features that allow users to monitor and manage vehicles in real time. One of the most important features of our app is the opportunity to receive notifications for important events, such as car theft, instantly.
For example, if you are a fleet manager and want to be informed when a special event occurs for one of your vehicles, such as an open door on a refrigerated truck or a vehicle theft, then you can resort to instant notification via web push. You no longer have to wait for an e-mail or SMS to be informed, but receive the notification directly on your smartphone – which now also works for iPhones. Our customers have on many occasions confirmed that this feature has helped them to react quickly to important events, saving valuable time and resources and averting possible damage.
The iPhone is one of the most widely used smartphones on the market and many users of our vehicle telematics solutions in particular our popular TSI Light AI-Driver's Log also like to use iPhones. The latest update to iOS 16.4 finally offers web push notifications, which have long been common on Android devices and are a great addition to the iPhone as they allow users to receive notifications for important events instantly.
How can you use the new web push notification function?
To use the push notification function, simply download the TSI Connect app to your smartphone and activate notifications in the settings. Also make sure that notifications are activated on your iPhone. If necessary, go to the settings of your iPhone and select the menu item "Notifications".
Is Apple opening up its ecosystem?
The implementation of Web Push in the iPhone 16.4 update can be interpreted as a step towards opening up Apple's ecosystem. In the past, Apple has often been criticised for controlling its ecosystem too much and thus limiting innovation and competition. The introduction of Web Push could be seen as an attempt by Apple to open up the ecosystem to developers and websites and to give users more freedom.
Another factor being discussed in connection with the introduction of Web Push in the iPhone 16.4 update is the possible influence of the EU on Apple. In the past, the EU has launched investigations against Apple to check competition in the App Store and the use of user data. The implementation of Web Push could be seen as an attempt by Apple to meet the EU's demands in terms of opening up the ecosystem more and protecting user privacy.
Since the launch of the iPhone, Apple has always taken a closed approach to software development for the device. This meant that third-party developers did not have access to all the features of the iPhone to develop their own apps and services. In particular, Apple had always restricted the web browser on iOS devices by only allowing the use of its own Safari engine.
Google Chrome, for example, is currently the most popular browser on the market. It is fast, reliable and offers a wide range of features that make it a popular browser with users all over the world. However, Chrome on the iPhone currently also uses the Safari engine and is therefore not a real alternative. According to some recent reports, Chrome developers are already experimenting with porting the Chromium engine to iOS - even though this is not officially allowed by Apple (yet).
The addition of Web Push for Safari could be a move by Apple to invalidate the argument for opening up the ecosystem. If the restriction to the in-house Safari browser engine is dropped, this could also have an impact on competition between browsers. Until now, Safari on the iPhone was the only browser users could use. However, with access to other browsers, market shares could shift and other browsers such as Chrome, Firefox and Opera could catch up.
In that case, Apple would also have to face the competition. In the past, Apple often had a reputation for walling off its products and services in order to retain its control over the ecosystem - no doubt also due to commercial considerations. With this change, Apple may show a stronger commitment to an open platform and could thereby pre-empt possible restrictions or coercive measures by the EU.
Summary
Overall, the iPhone 16.4 update is a great step forward for Apple and iPhone users. After all, web push notifications change the way users interact with their smartphones and give better abilities to react to important events – which is not only of great importance and advantage for telematics solutions – but has also been common practice in the world of Android for quite some time.
Dear iPhone users: Welcome to the year 2015*!
*Admittedly: Web Push was first introduced in 2015 with Firefox 44 and Chrome 42 – but it was not immediately available on all Android devices. A few more semesters passed before this was quasi-universally available on all current Androids.
Deutsch