iOS bar/tap list app?

[aep04002]

Hello:

I am new to app writing and I have been commissioned to figure out how to code an app for a local bar. It's a rather cool idea -- basically, the bar owner wants to be able to have an app out there where he can update his tap list, ping his customers who have the app and notify people of any upcoming specials. My question is, is it easy for someone to change the tap list without making this an "upgrade" of sorts? I know that an upgrade requires that one resubmits their code to apple, there's a wait period before it's released and then it's available. all that he'd like to do is simply change the tap list daily.

thanks,
andrea

 

[xArtx]

You could retrieve the list over the internet.
Don't ask me how, never done any network programming, but I'm sure there are code samples out there.
You don't have to ping the client if it is
Looking for new data.
Your users won't want to recieve App updates so frequently.
Good luck!

 

[dejo]

My question is, is it easy for someone to change the tap list without making this an "upgrade" of sorts?

Yes, it's fairly simple. The list could be in a file (in an easily consumed format, such as JSON or plist) that resides on a central server (perhaps the same server that hosts this bar's website; presumably they have one). The app would then retrieve this file in order to update the list. As for how the bar owner would update that list, that's a whole other ball of wax.

ping his customers who have the app...

This could be achieved through push notifications.

...and notify people of any upcoming specials.

Be very careful here. The App Review Guidelines state: "Apps cannot use Push Notifications to send advertising, promotions, or direct marketing of any kind."

 

[waterskier2007]

Updating the tap list is easy like dejo said.

As for notifying the app users, that is a bit tougher, but not impossible obviously. For this you would need some sort of web service that collects the iOS users ID. This occurs when the user registers for push notifications. You would need to store those in some sort of database (MYSQL comes to mind). When the bar owner updates his list, you could have your webservice send a push notification to the app users.

Personally I have done some of this type of stuff before using PHP and MySQL. Not too tough