Apple is getting pushy -- and this time, it’s good news for its iPhone customers.  After two years of not supporting background applications, the popular smartphone is about to get a critical new technology: push notifications.  Push notifications will allow applications such as IM clients to receive and display updates, even when not running as the active application.

This week, Apple announced that it will be performing a major test of the new service.  It sent an email to all its developers who are developing for and testing on the beta 5 version of iPhone OS 3.0.  The email invites them to test the pre-release version of the new Associated Press iPhone application to test the new push system under a high stress scenario.

The emails states, "As a developer actively working with iPhone OS 3.0 beta, we would like your help in testing the Apple Push Notification service. We have selected a pre-release version of the Associated Press app for iPhone OS 3.0 to create a high-volume test environment for our servers."

The new AP application is set to deliver news feeds to users' phones, starting this summer.  It should be just one of a number of applications showcasing the new push notification system's potential.

Apple says that the new system does not significantly impact battery life.  Battery life was Apple's primary justification for not allowing multiple simultaneous applications; the company said it would be too much of a drain on the battery.

The new OS is rumored to be accompanied by a new hardware release as well, giving iPhone spectators and fans plenty to look forward to this summer.