what are all the ways to update windows phone tiles?

Question

Going through MSDN library and other forums, these are the ways to update the Windows Phone Live Tiles (afaik):

1. Using push notifications,
2. Background agents,
3. ShellTileSchedule (to update tile's background images only).

Are there any other ways to do so?

Actually I am working on an app that get a collection of data/updates (not just background image) to be shown on tile from a Websevice. This data needs to be displayed randomly on tile.

Now looking back on the options I just have

1. Using push notifications,
2. Background agents,
3. ShellTileSchedule(to update tile's background images only).

And background agent have limitations (500 updates per subscription a day(if I do not use SSL), 15 sec time out etc)

So I am looking for a better solution, if there is any.

Thanks

Answer 1

To reference this nice Build video at 3:05 http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2013/2-206

To update a Tile, there is:

1. Scheduled

   1.1 ShellTileSchedule http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/microsoft.phone.shell.shelltileschedule%28v=vs.105%29.aspx

2. Push & Local

   2.1 Push notification http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/ff402558%28v=vs.105%29.aspx

   2.2 Local notification

So why is push notification no option for you? That seems the best option for a remote webservice.

The other option is to use ShellTileSchedule and have your webservice compose a bitmap. https://writeablebitmapex.codeplex.com/

Answer 2

These are the only options on Windows Phone right now. Windows 8 has the idea of polling updates for tiles which are very convenient, so I'm hoping those come to Windows Phone someday...