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FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

blog.fastmail.com

11–20 of 68 posts

Re: FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

#12
post #9

I thought push is a standardized imap extension and any capable client can use it, if the server is configured properly. Does push on iOS require apple to somehow allow you to use it with your provider, or why is it such a big deal?

Sounds like it uses APNS, rather than IMAP push. For the latter, you need a daemon listening, which you can't do on iOS. Plenty of Android apps have IMAP push, for example.

The article says "We’ve enabled Push IMAP" and their instructions tell you how to setup imap email account. But yes, using APNS for notifications probably makes sense (bandwidth, less connections, battery, ...).

Re: FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

#13
post #9

I thought push is a standardized imap extension and any capable client can use it, if the server is configured properly. Does push on iOS require apple to somehow allow you to use it with your provider, or why is it such a big deal?

IMAP "push" usually means the IDLE extension, where a client holds a connection open and waits for the server to report that something has happened. This works ok, but isn't great on mobile because holding a TCP connection open is usually difficult on flaky networks and consumes battery.

iOS Mail doesn't implement it, instead doing a poll every 15 minutes. However it also implements a separate push system which allows true push if the server supports it. The details on how to support this aren't public information.

We talked to Apple, and they were kind enough to give us access to this system. We implemented it on our side, and now when an email arrives at FastMail we can immediately signal to Mail.app that there's new mail available.

Re: FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

#14
post #9

I thought push is a standardized imap extension and any capable client can use it, if the server is configured properly. Does push on iOS require apple to somehow allow you to use it with your provider, or why is it such a big deal?

IMAP "push" usually means the IDLE extension, where a client holds a connection open and waits for the server to report that something has happened. This works ok, but isn't great on mobile because holding a TCP connection open is usually difficult on flaky networks and consumes battery. iOS Mail doesn't implement it, instead doing a poll every 15 minutes. However it also implements a separate push system which allow…

So there's absolutely no way to enable that on custom little VPS? You have to make an agreement with Apple for that?

Re: FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

#15
Yay! I am so happy to hear this. Congratulations and thank you to the Fastmail team and people at Apple who made this happen. This has been my only gripe as a Fastmail customer and the only reason I haven't been using Fastmail as my main email account yet. Very cool :)

Re: FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

#17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMAP "push" usually means the IDLE extension, where a client holds a connection open and waits for the server to report that something has happened. This works ok, but isn't great on mobile because holding a TCP connection open is usually difficult on flaky networks and consumes battery. iOS Mail doesn't implement it, instead doing a poll every 15 minutes. However it also implements a separate push system which allow…

So there's absolutely no way to enable that on custom little VPS? You have to make an agreement with Apple for that?

Well, wireshark + decompilation of existing software.

What I imagine, though, is a system similar to GCM, which would be not very helpful.

Re: FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

#19
post #7

Maybe one day we will get half decent two factor authentication. You can create an alternative login and put 2 factor on that, but not the master login. In theory you should never have to use the master login, and they have written pages of text justifying not having two factor on the master login, but thats not how it works in real life [0] In real life, they require you to submit your master password to get any sup…

Fastmail are also greedy: they monetize 2fa via sms to the tune of $0.12 (!!!) per text, and for the cherry on top, they expire your credits after a year. It's just skeevy cheap.

I'm a disappointed subscriber.

Re: FastMail gains push notifications in iOS Mail.app, joining only Yahoo and iCloud

#20
post #9

I thought push is a standardized imap extension and any capable client can use it, if the server is configured properly. Does push on iOS require apple to somehow allow you to use it with your provider, or why is it such a big deal?

IMAP "push" usually means the IDLE extension, where a client holds a connection open and waits for the server to report that something has happened. This works ok, but isn't great on mobile because holding a TCP connection open is usually difficult on flaky networks and consumes battery. iOS Mail doesn't implement it, instead doing a poll every 15 minutes. However it also implements a separate push system which allow…

> IMAP "push" usually means the IDLE extension [...]

> iOS Mail doesn't implement it, instead doing a poll every 15 minutes. However it also implements a separate push system which allows true push if the server supports it. The details on how to support this aren't public information.

"The details on how to support this aren't public information." My biggest computer-related fears summarized in a single sentence.

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