Web and iOS Push Notifications

[arn]

We've long supported web push notifications but it's always been super challenging to keep up and running well. We've upgraded our push sdk version, so I'm hopeful it will be more reliable.

On Desktop

You should be able to activate push notifications from here: https://www.macrumors.com/push/

If in the past you have blocked pushes from this site, you'll have to go to Safari -> Settings -> Websites -> Notifications and find MacRumors and delete that entry. And visit the push page above.

It should work in Chrome too.

On iOS

On iOS, you have to do "Add to Home Screen" to get a web app installed on your Home Screen. When you first open it, it will ask you for push notifications permission. Instructions at https://www.macrumors.com/push/ when you visit it from an iPhone.

Bonus feature: News filtering should be working on pushes if you are a paid member. And pretty soon, you'll get your forum pushes through the same system.

arn

 

[S.B.G]

The button doesn't seem to do anything.

Latest macOS and Safari.
Safari settings are to allow MacRumors.
No extensions
Safari status bar does not show a URL when cursor is hovering over the button.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I agree with SBG. The button didn’t work for me. I added to the Home Screen on my iPad and then opened and wasn’t prompted to receive notifications.

 

[arn]

ugh. It was working yesterday 🙂. Pushes remain a pain.

I've changed it. I had to do this if you are willing:

1. Wipe website data for MacRumors (you'll have to re log in)
2. Delete MacRumors.com from Safari -> Settings -> Websites -> Notifications
3. Visit https://www.macrumors.com/push/ and hope it works.

Regarding iOS. It should work on iPhone. I haven't tested on iPad lately.

arn

 

[arn]

I agree with SBG. The button didn’t work for me. I added to the Home Screen on my iPad and then opened and wasn’t prompted to receive notifications.

I just tested this on my iPad, and it worked. Try again?

 

[S.B.G]

ugh. It was working yesterday 🙂. Pushes remain a pain.

I've changed it. I had to do this if you are willing:

1. Wipe website data for MacRumors (you'll have to re log in)
2. Delete MacRumors.com from Safari -> Settings -> Websites -> Notifications
3. Visit https://www.macrumors.com/push/ and hope it works.

Regarding iOS. It should work on iPhone. I haven't tested on iPad lately.

arn

I didn't do any of the above and went to step three and it's working for me now.

Thanks

 

[Eliottjames]

@arn I have had notifications enabled through the iOS web app for a while but have noticed that if I don’t interact with them for a while, they are no longer delivered.

I seem to remember this being something mandated by Apple for a certain older method of delivery. Does this recent change affect this? It’d be great not to have to resubscribe so often

 

[arn]

@arn I have had notifications enabled through the iOS web app for a while but have noticed that if I don’t interact with them for a while, they are no longer delivered.

I seem to remember this being something mandated by Apple for a certain older method of delivery. Does this recent change affect this? It’d be great not to have to resubscribe so often

unfortunately I think that's probably still true. Which is an apple thing that we don't have control over.

I think just opening up the PWA will "reset" that behavior? Or just tapping on a notification from time to time.

 

[Eliottjames]

unfortunately I think that's probably still true. Which is an apple thing that we don't have control over.

I think just opening up the PWA will "reset" that behavior? Or just tapping on a notification from time to time.

Yes I’ve found that interacting with them seems to reset the ‘timer’, I just don’t always remember to so am unsubscribed without realising.

I’ve managed to find that article that I was thinking of specifically:

Declarative Web Push isn't subject to the same feature-breaking bugs and network issues as the standard web push, nor will anti-tracking prevention features disable it on websites that the user hasn't visited in some time.

Have I misunderstood when I assumed that delivering via Declarative Web Push would prevent this from happening?

 

[arn]

Yes I’ve found that interacting with them seems to reset the ‘timer’, I just don’t always remember to so am unsubscribed without realising.

I’ve managed to find that article that I was thinking of specifically:

Have I misunderstood when I assumed that delivering via Declarative Web Push would prevent this from happening?

Oh. hmm. hadn't seen that. It's possible this is in place already. We use a 3rd party to handle the underlying push technology. So we'd be reliant on them supporting it. I did a quick google and couldn't tell for sure. OneSignal is our push provider. I can probably ask them.

 

[Eliottjames]

Oh. hmm. hadn't seen that. It's possible this is in place already. We use a 3rd party to handle the underlying push technology. So we'd be reliant on them supporting it. I did a quick google and couldn't tell for sure. OneSignal is our push provider. I can probably ask them.

Thanks @arn, much appreciated!

 

[ChrisN718]

I can't seem to get the forum web notifications to work. I've only gotten the article notifications to work.

 

[arn]

I can't seem to get the forum web notifications to work. I've only gotten the article notifications to work.

Hey Chris,

We were still beta testing them. I’ll opt you in.

arn

 

[ChrisN718]

Hey Chris,

We were still beta testing them. I’ll opt you in.

arn

Hey thanks I just got the web notification for your post!

 

[ChrisN718]

Hey thanks I just got the web notification for your post!

Oops never mind it was a notification from my mail app lol
I subscribed to email notifications since the web notifications for the forum isn't working yet.

 

[arn]

Oops never mind it was a notification from my mail app lol
I subscribed to email notifications since the web notifications for the forum isn't working yet.

ya, I was confused 🙂. Should be on now

arn

 

[ChrisN718]

ya, I was confused 🙂. Should be on now

arn

On my desktop I'm using Safari and Chrome. On my Safari I didn't get the notification for this post but on Chrome I did

 

[arn]

On my desktop I'm using Safari and Chrome. On my Safari I didn't get the notification for this post but on Chrome I did

View attachment 2610974

Safari can be finicky unfortunately. I went back and forth on it with @WildCowboy for hours one night trying to get his working. I got it working for me. I don't know if he ever got his working.

If you want to try wiping and redoing Safari pushes again, it might work now. But honestly, it might not.

Safari -> Settings -> Websites -> Notifications -> Delete MacRumors entry
Safari -> Settings -> Privacy -> Manage Website Data -> Search for MacRumors -> Delete it

You'll have to re login. And then go to https://www.macrumors.com/push/

And hit subscribe, and it should pop up the MacOS Notify permissions dialog after a second or two.

arn

 

[S.B.G]

Safari can be finicky unfortunately. I went back and forth on it with @WildCowboy for hours one night trying to get his working. I got it working for me. I don't know if he ever got his working.

View attachment 2610975

If you want to try wiping and redoing Safari pushes again, it might work now. But honestly, it might not.

Safari -> Settings -> Websites -> Notifications -> Delete MacRumors entry
Safari -> Settings -> Privacy -> Manage Website Data -> Search for MacRumors -> Delete it

You'll have to re login. And then go to https://www.macrumors.com/push/

And hit subscribe, and it should pop up the MacOS Notify permissions dialog after a second or two.

arn

Could you turn it on for me too? I’d like to try it with Safari if it’ll work.

 

[arn]

Could you turn it on for me too? I’d like to try it with Safari if it’ll work.

should be set.

 

[WildCowboy]

Safari can be finicky unfortunately. I went back and forth on it with @WildCowboy for hours one night trying to get his working. I got it working for me. I don't know if he ever got his working.

More or less broken since we worked on it a week ago, although I did randomly get two article pushes yesterday morning. But that's it, at least in the past few days.

 

[canhaz]

More or less broken since we worked on it a week ago, although I did randomly get two article pushes yesterday morning. But that's it, at least in the past few days.

I tried mashing the subscribe button in latest Firefox and Safari on macOS Tahoe. Can confirm the event does not fire. Opened up debugger, but couldn't figure it out.

 

[arn]

Working for me in Firefox

 

[S.B.G]

should be set.

Wanted to pop in and say that the push notifications are working, both for the front page and the forums.

 

[ChrisN718]

I've also started getting notifications through safari