I have been researching a lot about this issue, but I only get more and more confused...
Basically, what I need to do is to distribute a free ios app, but I don't want it to be available to everyone, but just to some of my customers (5 or 6 companies). I have been looking into the B2B option, but I have some questions:
The purchasing company must enroll in the Volume Purchase Program... will this be free for them?
Can I distribute the same app to more than one company?
How exactly can I perfom the distribution? Can I just publish my .ipa through one of my servers? Or do I need to go with a MDM? I have read that it is actually the purchasing company who has to get and manage the MDM?
According to Apple : "Even though custom B2B apps can be free, you must have a Paid Applications contract for your app to be visible on the Custom B2B App Store."... what does that mean?
Maybe there is another better option for me than the B2B program?
Sorry for asking so many questions, and many thanks in advance!!
María.
When distributing an iOS app b2b:
any buyer must be enrolled in the Volume Purchase Program (this is free).
you must specifically allow all buyers (there can be more than one) to purchase by specifying their Apple ID in iTunes connect.
the buyer pays whatever price you specify for the app on a per install basis and Apple takes their 30% cut. This can specify a price of zero.
distribution is entirely Apple-hosted but the app is not visible in the public app store.
The Paid Applications Contract is an agreement between you and Apple that you must enter into before using B2B distribution. Steps to make the agreement are here - http://www.pressmatrix.de/product-blog/apple-developer-itunes-connect-guide/
Note that b2b apps MUST go through Apple review process.
The only other option I see is to require your clients to enroll in the iOS Developer Enterprise program (cost of $300 per year) and then allow you to sign the app with their certificates for distribution to their employees using "over the air" installation, config utils, or an MDM.
It sounds as though you might want the iOS Developer Enterprise program.
This enables you to distribute apps ad hoc, however you might want to check whether that means to one organisation or to multiple as I'm unsure.
Comparison of the iOS developer programs
So I already have 2 versions out on appstore..
One app is a free but limited version.
The other is a paid unlimited. The basic layout..
I have had questions from companies wanting to buy the app and give to their employees. So they don't have to buy the app with their personal accounts..
So I was thinking of releasing a 3rd version that prompts the user for a license key on first start, if the key is valid the app starts and works until reinstalled or w/e. If the key is invalid the app just keeps prompting for a valid license.
Now I remembered reading somewhere that apple wouldn't allow apps that had no public function or something like that. Which this app wont have unless u have a valid license..
But since I do also provide a valid public version of the app, will this one get accepted? Or have they removed theese rules?
Any insight in the matter would be helpful!
Edit:
Forgot to mention that the reason im looking to use the license is because i have the same app for android and want the companies to be able to buy for both device types, not just apple devices.
Thanks
I believe you should use the B2B functionality in ITunes Connect: http://developer.apple.com/support/ios/volume-purchase-program.html
Also check: https://developer.apple.com/appstore/resources/volume/
I did something very similar to this some time ago, they seemed ok with it (then at least), they just asked for a license key in the complementary info (during the app submission) to go through all their usual validation tests.
Klassmating has an app in the app store that has no public functionality unless you are a student at a specific university. So it seems like you can have apps like that.
Without knowing exactly, I would assume Apple would reject such an app from the store (mainly because it would allow you to sell applications "behind their back" - i.e. sell licence keys and not using in-app purchase) :-)
However, there are two possible solutions to your problem that come to my mind:
Create and distribute gift codes (would be a problem if you had to give out too many of them).
Do an ad-hoc distribution of your app to the companies. Basically they would need your application bundle and an ad-hoc mobile provision file. Then they can simply install your application by dragging it to iTunes.
There are different official iPhone application distribution methods.
In which for your current requirement,I suppose you can use the Custom B2B Apps,where you can deliver apps directly to your business customers who have a Volume Purchase Program account.You can get more information from the link provided above.
cheers!
Yes, I too have had an app in the app store which works like this. You have to provide them with a key/licence to access the app functionality so they can test it fully.
I've had an app rejected for this very reason - required a username and password, not a licence key, but was free. They said in contravened the licence terms regarding in app purchases.
Mine allowed time limited free trials from within the app, but full functionality was restricted to purchases outside the app. Apple wanted their 30% cut of the subscription cost so it was no dice for us.
On the other hand, the app store review process is seemingly entirely random, so who knows.
Please forgive the noob question.
I've been developing this little app (with Unity) for some time. The development profile expires every 90 days. That's life.
Now I want to take it to the 'next' level, which is 'actual deployment'. Here's the catch: I don't really want to sell this in the App Store. It's a very specific app for a very specific target audience (a particular company). It's not a game or anything anyone else would find fun or useful, it pertains only to this one company's business.
This is my first iPhone app, so I don't know, is there a different kind of cert or profile or something I should be using? Or can I 'publish' things without Apple needing to care? If it does have to go through Apple, is there a category of app like "not porn, not game, not harmful, just some utility, please let some people get it and use it"?
What you probably need is an Enterprise account for the business to which you're selling (you can sign up here: http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/enterprise/). With an Enterprise account, you can distribute in-house apps over the air to members of the organization. That's the only officially-sanctioned way to get "permanent" apps onto a phone without the app store.
Hope this helps!!
http://adeem.me/blog/2009/04/24/tutorial-list-guideline-for-building-ad-hoc-application-for-iphone/
I've seen people selling provisions with ad hoc binaries. Apple doesn't like that though, but it does circumvent their cut. They might revoke your developing rights. Up to you.
Simply put; what does my $99 get me, that I can't already get for free?
OK, OK, sounds like a dumb question, but the Apple site is not clear to me.
My hunch is that you get the ability to submit apps to the app store for your 99, but you could get everything else for free, but it's not clear to me hence the question.
After paying the $99 the main benefits are shown below:
Install your developed apps on your device without Jailbreaking
Submit and distribute paid and free apps to the Apple App Store
Access to coupon codes to distribute your paid app to reviewers (neat feature)
Distribute an internal app using ad-hoc distribution for up to 100 devices
Free additional marketing if your application is popular (generally not available to everyone)
Those are the main benefits, I don't think I have forgotten any of the key benefits.
You cannot actually run your program on a any iPhone/iPod touch, including the one you own, without paying the $99.
For $99 you can run your app on your actual device and you can sell your app.
We have an industrial app that currently runs on a very expensive ruggedized PDA.
Since most of the engineers we sell to have iPhones we are considering moving to the much nicer newer platform.
A couple of questions:
Is it possible to sell iPhone apps with out the app store? Apple taking a 40% cut of a 99c iFart app is one thing but this is a $3000 engineering calculation app. We have also heard of the hassles some people have had getting apps approved.
Can we sell an iPod touch (I understand selling an iPhone without a contract is trickier) with pre-packaged software.
ps. Sorry for the anonymous posting, the company is a little nervous about our relationship with the PDA maker.
There are basically three different official iPhone application distribution methods that I am aware of:
- App store
With this method anyone with an iPhone can have access to the application. You can distribute an unlimited number of applications like this. Apple gets a 30% cut. Of course Apple must approve your applicaion.
- Ad hoc
You can distribute applications using ad hoc without going through the app store, but you are limited to a maximum of 100 devices. With this method you can distribute you application from a web site, email, etc.
- Enterprise
The method is for internal distribution in companies with more than 500 employees. Apple does not provide any more public detail that I could find on this method.
It doesn't sound like any of these methods meet your criteria unless you have fewer than 100 customers and don't plan to exceed that number. It sounds like from the question your customers are not internal to your company.
I would advise contacting Apple. They might be able to work out some kind of custom distribution deal.
Enterprise developer program allows in house distribution, avoiding the appstore. It's $299 vs $99 and doesn't include AppStore distribution.
For companies with 500 or more employees who are creating proprietary in-house applications for iPhone and iPod touch.
Apple also has a B2B Program, which sound like you are aiming for. It allows you to sell your apps directly to other businesses. You can find out more here: https://developer.apple.com/programs/volume/b2b/
Spotify has a free app you can download, but to use it you have to have a Premium account. So you don't have to sell your app for $3000 to go thru the app store.
You can give the app for free in Appstore, but it will require an online activation. The online activation will cost 3000$. If apple would not accept the app, you can try to create a very limited version (without activation) and get it accepted in appstore. Then release un update for it, which will enable online activation system.
It's a pity - the iPhone/iPod touch could make a really nice platform for automation/interface stuff.
I was working on an embedded industrial platform recently - a 16bit micro, 64K memory, a serial port and a 120x128 2 grey level screen for $1000/unit and $10,000 for the appalling OS/devkit.
I can't see how apple could possibly care if you purchase iPod touches, jailbroke them, installed your app and sold them to customers.
For a $3k app, the $220 for an iPod Touch is less than 10% of the sales price.
Testflight. Google it. Basically you get an account with testflight. Put your app on testflight. You send your customer an email and they click it on their iphone. It sends testflight an email with your customers device ID. Testflight sends you an email saying "a New customer requested your app" and their device ID. You add their device ID to your provisioning chain and rebuild your App. Upload it to testflight, they get a notification that it's ready, and they can install it. Somewhere in there be sure to get your money :)
Native app, no. However, you can create it as a Web App that's specialized for the iPhone, in which case you circumvent the app store altogether.
You could consider a HTML5 app on Safari which offers many of the features of an app like offline access, local storage, canvas for rich graphics etc. No distribution issues and no commission. Depends what you need - access to camera, compass I think is not possible. (Also: works on Android)
Edit:
Here's a great intro -
http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/html5-iphone-app/
How to Make an HTML5 iPhone App
Build a version of Tetris that is "for the most part, it’s going to be a pitch-perfect imitation"
Full Screen
Offline Cache
Persistent storage
If your app is pretty expensive, you probably have few customers and they receive personal support, so what you could do is the following:
Have each customer get their own Apple developer license ($99/year). Your support can talk them through the process, or you can probably do it for them. Give them a discount/credit for the $99 they pay to Apple.
Compile your apps logic into a library, and make a thin shell that loads code from the library.
Give the customer the XCode project for this shell, and the binaries for your code :-). Write a little OS X app that triggers the download of XCode, the compilation, and installation, so they can "compile" and deploy "the app they are developing" (a.k.a. your app) to their devices. Or, do it as a service for them.
Don't forget to get your lawyers involved. I'm sure there are ways to look at it in which this is legal, and interpretations in which this violates some license. There is probably a way to make this waterproof, e.g. by calling your customers "developers" and yourself "consultants" in the contract or something. Helping a customer compile their app is not prohibited :-)
If you do this, deployment is not going to be so smooth as if you go the official way, but you'll save a lot of money. For a $3000 app, instead of 30% you'll give Apple 3.33%. I haven't done this, and I don't know anybody who has, and can't even recommend it, but I also can't see why it wouldn't work. So it might be worth a try.
I wish. Short answer, no.
There is some kind of a hack, whereby you isntall your app in a ad hoc manner, but you can only have 100 devices. Painful road if you ask me.
The way to do this would be to give the app for free in iOs store.
But charge $3000 for an activation code or subscription fee purchased from your website.
You will need to give the free app some basic functionality of some kind, however. Apple won't approve the app if it doesn't do anything without the activation code.
If it was me I would do one of the follow:
1) Submit it to Apple and sell it for free. They then enter a license code bought from you to access the full feature set. Include a welcome page, about us, contact page for unlicensed functionality. As Apple won't approve it if it does nothing.
2) Get the companies you're selling to to open an Enterprise account with Apple. Then you build the IPA and sign it using their credentials and send them the IPA.
Good luck.
This article summarizes all the answers to this question and discusses Apple's B2B, iOS developer enterprise program, adhoc distribution and testflight.
http://mobiledan.net/2012/03/02/5-options-for-distributing-ios-apps-to-a-limited-audience-legally/
All of the solutions (except the test-oriented solutions, which are limited), however, force you to get Apple's approval before publishing and updating. This process can take time and can leave your users stranded when you have a critical bug that needs a quick update.
If this is a deal breaker for you, you might want to try developing the app for Android, which also has advantages and drawbacks, but in your specific case, gives you more flexibility.
In Android, you can email an APK file, a user clicks it, and the app gets installed on the device.
In iOS, every devices that is not a member of the "enterprise program", "b2b" program or is provisioned for testing, cannot install the app.
You have to jailbreak the iPhone to put an app on it not from the app store.