The best thing you can do right now within the framework of the authorized Apple API is to add a red badge with a number to the badge using the UIApplication applicationIconBadgeNumber property. Not sure if it's big enough to fit 4 digits though.
This is if you want to install it while the application is open. To update the icon in the background, you need to either send a UILocalNotification message (if you know in advance when and what the icon should say), or use push notifications.
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