Why do notifications only work when I add BeatTribe to my home screen?
If you are using an iPhone (iOS), you might have noticed that the notification settings only "unlock" once you've installed the app. Here is the breakdown of why this happens and why it actually benefits you.
1. Apple's Security Rule
Apple designed iOS so that regular websites in Safari cannot send you "Push Notifications" (the alerts that pop up when your screen is locked). They do this to prevent random websites from spamming your phone.
To get these alerts, Apple requires you to "validate" the app by adding it to your Home Screen. This tells your iPhone: "I trust BeatTribe, and I want it to act like a real app on my phone."
2. Standalone Mode vs. Browser Mode
When you open BeatTribe from your Home Screen, it runs in Standalone Mode. This is a special environment where the "App" has its own memory and permissions, separate from your browser.
- In your Browser: BeatTribe is just a website. It can't "wake up" your phone to tell you a new song request arrived.
- On Home Screen: BeatTribe is a Web App. It has permission to use the "Notifications" feature, which allows our server to send a signal directly to your lock screen, even if the app is closed.
3. Battery and Performance
By requiring you to add the app to your Home Screen, your device can manage battery life better. Instead of your browser having to stay "open" in the background to listen for song requests, the system handles the notification delivery efficiently, saving your battery for the gig.