diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1fb86c84..d5ebfa90 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 -(void)sendEmails:(NSString *)templateName templateValues:(NSDictionary<NSString *, NSString*> *)templateValues envelope:(id<IEmailEnvelope>)envelope response:(void(^)(MessageStatus *))responseBlock error:(void(^)(Fault *))errorBlock;
 ```
+* added groups support for push notifications (for iOS 12+)
 
 ## 5.2.13 May, 13 2019
 * added support of sortBy and properties for LoadRelationsQueryBuilder
diff --git a/Pods/Backendless.podspec b/Pods/Backendless.podspec
index 80fe71f3..4edae594 100644
--- a/Pods/Backendless.podspec
+++ b/Pods/Backendless.podspec
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Pod::Spec.new do |spec|
   spec.summary       = 'Backendless is a Mobile Backend and API Services Platform'
   spec.description   = 'Backendless is a development and a run-time platform. It helps software developers to create mobile and desktop applications while removing the need for server-side coding.'
   spec.source        = { :git => 'https://github.com/Backendless/ios-SDK.git', :tag => '5.3.8' }
-  spec.swift_version = '4.2'
+  spec.swift_version = '5.0'
 
   spec.ios.deployment_target  = '8.0'
   spec.osx.deployment_target  = '10.10'
diff --git a/SDK/Podfile.lock b/SDK/Podfile.lock
index 0f679003..302aa0e5 100644
--- a/SDK/Podfile.lock
+++ b/SDK/Podfile.lock
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 PODS:
-  - Socket.IO-Client-Swift (15.0.0):
+  - Socket.IO-Client-Swift (15.1.0):
     - Starscream (~> 3.1)
   - Starscream (3.1.0)
 
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ SPEC REPOS:
     - Starscream
 
 SPEC CHECKSUMS:
-  Socket.IO-Client-Swift: c039a808195d22a7192962841b8c035cb61ea49e
+  Socket.IO-Client-Swift: 7cb44c0ffb86e158cee32d0642d30ec5fdcf8f61
   Starscream: 08172b481e145289c4930cb567230fb55897cfa4
 
 PODFILE CHECKSUM: 675cc991d5f2f8cb6bcd0ce2d67444ed1b8f2a74
 
-COCOAPODS: 1.7.0.beta.3
+COCOAPODS: 1.7.1
diff --git a/SDK/backendlessAPI/Classes/Messaging/BackendlessPushHelper.m b/SDK/backendlessAPI/Classes/Messaging/BackendlessPushHelper.m
index 8aa161a0..b4ebb756 100644
--- a/SDK/backendlessAPI/Classes/Messaging/BackendlessPushHelper.m
+++ b/SDK/backendlessAPI/Classes/Messaging/BackendlessPushHelper.m
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ -(NSDictionary *)dictionaryWithoutNulls:(NSDictionary *)dictionary {
 -(UNNotificationRequest *)createRequestFromTemplate:(NSDictionary *)iosPushTemplate request:(UNNotificationRequest *)request {
     UNMutableNotificationContent *content = [UNMutableNotificationContent new];
     NSMutableDictionary *userInfo = [NSMutableDictionary new];
+    NSMutableDictionary *aps = [NSMutableDictionary new];
+    NSMutableDictionary *apsAlert = [NSMutableDictionary new];
     
     // check if silent
     NSNumber *contentAvailable = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"contentAvailable"];
@@ -100,30 +102,55 @@ -(UNNotificationRequest *)createRequestFromTemplate:(NSDictionary *)iosPushTempl
     else {
         if ([request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"message"]) {
             content.body = [request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"message"];
+            [apsAlert setObject:content.body forKey:@"body"];
         }
         else {
             content.body = [[[request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"aps"] valueForKey:@"alert"] valueForKey:@"body"];
+            [apsAlert setObject:content.body forKey:@"body"];
         }
         
         if ([request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"ios-alert-title"]) {
             content.title = [request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"ios-alert-title"];
+            [apsAlert setObject:content.title forKey:@"title"];
         }
         else {
             content.title = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"alertTitle"];
+            [apsAlert setObject:content.title forKey:@"title"];
         }
         
         if ([request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"ios-alert-subtitle"]) {
-            content.subtitle = [request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"ios-alert-subtitle"];
+            [apsAlert setObject:content.subtitle forKey:@"subtitle"];
         }
         else {
             content.subtitle = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"alertSubtitle"];
+            [apsAlert setObject:content.subtitle forKey:@"subtitle"];
         }
+        [aps setObject:apsAlert forKey:@"alert"];
         
-        if ([request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"ios-alert-subtitle"]) {
-            content.subtitle = [request.content.userInfo valueForKey:@"ios-alert-subtitle"];
+        if ([iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"sound"]) {
+            content.sound = [UNNotificationSound soundNamed:[iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"sound"]];
+            [aps setObject:[iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"sound"] forKey:@"sound"];
         }
         else {
-            content.subtitle = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"alertSubtitle"];
+            content.sound = [UNNotificationSound defaultSound];
+            [aps setObject:@"default" forKey:@"sound"];
+        }
+        
+        if (request.content.badge) {
+            content.badge = request.content.badge;
+            [aps setObject:content.badge forKey:@"badge"];
+        }
+        else {
+            NSNumber *badge = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"badge"];
+            content.badge = badge;
+            [aps setObject:content.badge forKey:@"badge"];
+        }
+        
+        [userInfo setObject:aps forKey:@"aps"];
+        
+        if ([iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"attachmentUrl"]) {
+            NSString *urlString = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"attachmentUrl"];
+            [userInfo setObject:urlString forKey:@"attachment-url"];
         }
         
         if ([iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"customHeaders"]) {
@@ -136,29 +163,20 @@ -(UNNotificationRequest *)createRequestFromTemplate:(NSDictionary *)iosPushTempl
                     [userInfo setObject:[customHeaders valueForKey:headerKey] forKey:headerKey];
                 }
             }
-            content.userInfo = userInfo;
         }
         
-        if (request.content.sound) {
-            content.sound = request.content.sound;
-        }
-        else {
-            content.sound = [UNNotificationSound defaultSound];
-        }
-        
-        if (request.content.badge) {
-            content.badge = request.content.badge;
-        }
-        else {
-            NSNumber *badge = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"badge"];
-            content.badge = badge;
+        if (@available(iOS 12.0, *)) {
+            if([iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"threadId"]) {
+                content.threadIdentifier = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"threadId"];
+                [userInfo setObject:content.threadIdentifier forKey:@"thread-id"];
+            }
+            if([iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"summaryFormat"]) {
+                content.summaryArgument = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"summaryFormat"];
+                [userInfo setObject:content.summaryArgument forKey:@"summary-arg"];
+            }
         }
         
-        if ([iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"attachmentUrl"]) {
-            NSString *urlString = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"attachmentUrl"];
-            [userInfo setObject:urlString forKey:@"attachment-url"];
-            content.userInfo = userInfo;
-        }
+        content.userInfo = userInfo;
         
         NSArray *actionsArray = [iosPushTemplate valueForKey:@"actions"];
         content.categoryIdentifier = [self setActions:actionsArray];
diff --git a/SDK/ios/backendless/backendless.a b/SDK/ios/backendless/backendless.a
index 477d64bf..22cf9e80 100644
Binary files a/SDK/ios/backendless/backendless.a and b/SDK/ios/backendless/backendless.a differ