PokeRestock News & Updates

Hello, through user feedback in our open beta for Android and iOS, we've gotten reports of notifications on phones appearing later than usual. This is evident when some users view the app and see notifications they missed, or see the notify time was more than 30 seconds. This is new behavior that was first reported on Apple iOS launch, and in response, several changes have been put in place:

1. We have increased the time threshold for notifications to be sent to 5 minutes. This means if a product comes in stock, goes out of stock, then in stock within 5 minutes, it will not double notify. This is to account for noisy restocks or false alarms, as well as to avoid spamming which can delay other push notifications.
2. We are actively monitoring and working with push notification services to improve delivery times and reliability. Starting in Open Beta, all app notifications are being logged to see where, why, or how delays may occur to users.
3. We recommend users check their phone settings to ensure that notifications are allowed for the PokeRestock app and that battery optimization settings are not restricting background activity.
   
   For Android:
   • Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps > PokeRestock > Notifications and ensure that notifications are enabled.
   • Go to Settings > Battery > Battery optimization, find PokeRestock, and set it to "Not optimized" to allow the app to run in the background without restrictions.
   • If your device has a "Do Not Disturb" mode, ensure that it is not enabled or that PokeRestock is allowed to send notifications during this mode.
   • Ensure that your device is connected to a stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data), as poor connectivity can delay notifications.
   • For devices without mobile connections (Wi-Fi only), Doze mode is much stronger and will require your device to be plugged in at all times to avoid blocking notifications.
   • For best results, keep the app updated to the latest version available on the Google Play Store.
   For iOS:
   • Go to Settings > Notifications > PokeRestock and ensure that "Allow Notifications" is enabled.
   • Ensure that Background App Refresh is enabled for PokeRestock in Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
   • Check that your device is not in Low Power Mode, as this can restrict background activity and delay notifications.
   • Ensure that your device is connected to a stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular data), as poor connectivity can delay notifications.
   • For best results, keep the app updated to the latest version available on the App Store.

We are committed to transparency and will keep users informed about any changes or improvements made to the notification system. Please continue to reach out to support@pokerestock.org or our subreddit with any issues or feedback.

At this time, delay in notifications is not obvious, as performance testing and data collection are still ongoing. Data points show average delivery time from system to mobile phone is less than 3 seconds. But as Jeff Bezos once famously said, "When the data and the anecdotes disagree, the anecdotes are usually right."

We are aggressively testing, monitoring, and improving the system to ensure the best possible experience for users, and we hope to fix these outliers so that the app is consistently fast. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve the notification experience.