Size of iPhone device token

Question

What is the size of the device token generated by APNs (Apple Push Notification). I am trying to store device tokens on the server side in a mysql database, and would like to know maximum size of device tokens generated

Abound

it is 64 char in length – Bereft

it is not 64 char in lenght anymore, it changes, some of them 64 some of them 108 etc. – Ician

Answer 1

You get told but it's currently 32 bytes. Apple says the token length is variable and to not hard code it

When you get a notification it has a header, currently 35 bytes in size. This is arranged as follows:

• Byte 1: Command
• Byte 2-3: Token length
• Bytes 4-35: Token

Source: http://mark.aufflick.com/files/view/talks/apns.pdf

Ketone

you have said its totaly 32 bytes ...But you are mentioning Bytes 4-35...can you plz explain that ? – Midwinter

@NagaR I've just expanded the content a bit to explain where the numbering comes from. The number is the index in the header. So byte 1 of the token occupies byte 4 in the header, byte 2 in the token occupies byte 5 in the header... byte 32 of the token occupies byte 35 in the header. – Ketone

Apple says the token length is variable and to not hard code it: developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/… – Agape

Answer 2

Apple Push Notification Service Programming guide very clearly says:

"Important: APNs device tokens are of variable length. Do not hardcode their size."

Addlepated

I wish this question would be revisited. This is (as of now) the correct answer. – Agape

updated documentation: developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/… – Hautboy

Answer 3

According to Apple's iOS Developer Library, it's 32 bytes, as Philip said.

Here's a link to their page on "Local and Push Notification Programming," which may include other helpful information on the subject.

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/RemoteNotificationsPG/Chapters/Introduction.html

Leu

The link is broken – Zoie

@Zoie the link is fixed – Moray

@Moray the link is broken again – Banta

Answer 4

The limit in iOS8 is reported to be 2k. Still half of the size of GCM's 4k, but I suspect most people will have to alter their tables to handle the new iOS8 token limit.

Explicate

he didn't ask about the size of the push payload, but the token itself. – Westberry

GCM token can (technically) be up to 4k long as well. Practically it should be within 255 though. – Geniality

I agree with James, GCM's token length can be up to 4K and the payload itself can be up to 4K. – Famous

The question was about token size, not about payload size. – Borodin