how did notification apis change from ios16 to ios18

From iOS 16 to iOS 18, there have been several changes to notification APIs, particularly in the context of Live Activities and push notifications:

1. Broadcast Push Notifications:

   • iOS 18 introduced broadcast push notifications for Live Activities. This allows developers to send a single push notification to APNs, which then reliably delivers it to all devices subscribed to the live activity. This is particularly useful for scenarios where many users are viewing updates for the same event, such as sports scores. This eliminates the need to manage individual push tokens for each user (Broadcast updates to your Live Activities).

2. Channel Management:

   • Developers can now create channels for broadcast push notifications using the Push Notifications Console. This console has been expanded to support the new broadcast capability, allowing for easier testing and integration (Broadcast updates to your Live Activities).

3. APNs Integration:

   • The new APIs for broadcast push notifications integrate with APNs using the same authentication methods (certificate or token-based) as traditional push notifications. This ensures a seamless transition for developers already familiar with APNs (Broadcast updates to your Live Activities).

These updates provide a more efficient and scalable way to handle notifications for large audiences, reducing the complexity and overhead associated with managing individual push tokens.

Relevant Sessions

• Broadcast updates to your Live Activities
• Broadcast updates to your Live Activities
• Broadcast updates to your Live Activities