Use silent push notifications to track app uninstalls

Question

Created Jan ’17

Replies 2

Boosts 0

Views 2.3k

Participants 2

Hi,

I recently read an article about the use of silent push notifications to track uninstalls. Since I cannot find any other way to track uninstalls on iOS, I was quite happy to find this.

I have a couple of questions regarding this method:

Are Apple allowing the use of silent push notifications for this purpose?
Are silent push notifications reliable (I've read some posts which indicates that they are not)?
Is there any other ways to track, or get a hold of data on, uninstalls (not inactivity) on iOS?

Thank you for your time!

Boost

Answer 1

NotMyName OP

Jan ’17

SIlent push notifications on the client side are throttled. So if you're trying to rely on the client receiving a notification, and acting on it, you're making a mistaken.

Also, if you've read the documentation, you'd be aware that:

- The user has to opt in to push notifications.

- The user can opt out of push notifications without stopping the use of your app.

- The delivery of push notifications isn't guaranteed.

Do you see the problem?

Once upon a time, iTunes Connect promised that it would add useage data from the app. If it's not reporting that, there's likely a reason.

0

Answer 2

max_dev OP

Feb ’17

Thanks for the answer!

I'm not sure that I agree with you there. I have read on several sources that when it comes to silent push notifications, users do not have to opt in. However it states that if users turn off 'background app refresh' they might not get the push.

Let's say that I'm are sending a silent push notification to a user (user 1) that has opted out of push notifications and also turned of 'background app refresh'. I'm are also sending out a silent push notification to a user (user 2) which has deleted the application.

Do I get the same (or any) respons from the push to the two users (user 1 and user 2)?

My main questions still remain:

1. Are Apple ok with silent push notifications being used in this way?

2. Are silent push notifications reliable to get information about uninstalls?

1