I am making an iPhone app for a company but I don't want it to be available for download to everybody (like apps in the app store) What is the best way to ensure only set users can download the app?
I was thinking maybe of having some website where users login and can click on a link to download and install the app, but I was told this is not possible. You can only download on the app store...
What you are looking for is called "iOS Enterprise Distribution". See http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/enterprise/
The only alternative to iPhone Enterprise distribution (which has its own set of rules and requirements) is to allow download from the app store but require a login in the app to use. Much like HBO-Go. You can't use HBO Go on the iPad unless you have an account with a certain cable provider which has an agreement with HBO. For example, I get HBO at home but can't use the HBO app because my cable company doesn't have an agreement in place for me to use the app so while I can download it I can't do anything with it.
Without knowing your reasons for blocking app downloads I'm not sure if this is a viable solution for you.
Related
My company bosses want to create a native version of a currently web-based app that will be available to their existing customers (currently a few thousand).
They say it is imperative that the application be available for downloading from the app store.
However the app would only be of any use to customer who already have an account (and would be useless to anybody else who downloaded the app).
Is this actually possible to submit such a thing to the app store?
There are dozens of Apps in the App Store that where they are only usable if you are an existing customer. Look at all the banking related ones for example.
AFAIK, you cannot restrict the intended users when distributing through the AppStore.
What you can do is apply for an iOS Developer Enterprise Program, though you'd be installing the app directly to the devices (requires physical presence of the devices).
You could also use a service like TestFlight, though their terms probably just allow deployment for testing purposes.
What I'd go for is getting the app to the AppStore anyway, as long as your app doesn't include confidential content. You could advise in the description not to install the app unless they're your company's clients.
I have asked this question long before.
I know it maybe impossible, but as far as I know, 'Find my friends' has this features and it works just so well, so I wonder if now there is a neat and legitimate way of doing that.
Just because Apple's Find My Friends app has a feature does not mean the API is publicly available. If this app is not an enterprise app, you can't use private APIs and have your app put on the app store. If it is an enterprise app, you may want to look into setting up a configuration profile for the device. In order to access the VPN for my employer, I had to install a configuration profile (visible in Settings) that requires a passcode to be entered every time I unlock my iPad. Without that, I cannot VPN into their intranet. TestFlight uses a similar approach with profiles to register a device to receive builds. I would check out this link from Apple on setting up these sorts of profiles for enterprise applications: http://www.apple.com/iphone/business/resources/
There's no way to detect this programmatically from within an iPhone SDK-based application. If you need to, you should file an enhancement request with Apple at http://bugreporter.apple.com
I would like to have users be directed to a link which will immediately start downloading an app on an iOS device. I know you can register for Enterprise application or do limited ad-hoc distribution, but this is not the case here. The app I would like to link to is already on the app store. I would like to know if users can download the app directly without going through the app store.
Thanks in advance.
As mentioned above, you cannot provide a direct link to the application. There are ways of circumventing the app store, such as ad-hoc distribution and ADC's enterprise program. However, neither of these would provide the convenience you seek as potential users would have to install certificates generated by you before installing your application. Your best option would be to use the app store or possibly a web app.As David V mentioned, you can provide a direct link to your app in the app store!
Good luck,
-Alex
They will need to go through the App Store. You can provide them a link to your app in the App Store though.
In fact, even in jailbroken devices, you need to use a store. Apple seems not to have a auto-installing url scheme implemented.
Would be nice, though.
No. This is not possible on stock OS iOS devices
You can do that if your app is based on Safari (web app) instead of native (iOS).
I want to develop a little iPhone application, just for my personal needs. I don't want to sell it or give it to anybody as it will not be useful to anybody.
Can I have this application on my iPod/iPhone, without having to pay/suscribe/be on the Apple store ?
You need to pay the $99 for the iPhone Developer Program in order to be able to install your application onto the iPhone/iPod.
You can, by Jailbreaking your iPhone and then installing the AppSync program from Cydia. Then you can either build your app as a release and drag it into iTunes and sync your phone or change some settings (look it up on google, putting Xcode project on jailbroken device) in the Xcode project settings and open the organizer window and click on the use for development button on the device's page.
Jailbreaking your device will void your warranty if Apple find out (ie if you go into a shop and ask them to fix your device if it ever breaks without clicking restore in itunes to unjailbreak it)
With the Spirit jailbreak, Jailbreaking is as simple as plugging in your phone and pressing jailbreak.
(and the US Government has said that Jailbreaking is legal: http://www.pcworld.com/article/201892/us_government_iphone_jailbreaking_is_fair_use.html)
You could write you program and test in the simulator with the free SDK.
When you are satisfied you could send the source code to a licensed developer, I'd suggest some friend, that can build an AdHoc version for you to run on your own device.
A little tricky and you need to let another developer see the code. This app will also only last a year or less as certificates and profiles are time limited.
Why don't you write it as a website that is iPhone friendly then go to the site in your phone's browser and save a link to the site? It will show up on your desktop similar to an app. To have a true "app" I am sure you have to pay apple.
No, you can not.
It depends on what your definition of "pay/subscribe/be on the Apple Store" is.
Yes, you have to pay a subscription to the Apple iPhone Developer programme to get access to a provisioning profile to enable you to put an app you have built onto your iPhone/iPod. This will cost you $99.
The dev tools (Xcode/Interface Builder) are all free, but without the dev programme subscription you will not be able to put your app onto a physical device, only the emulator.
But no, you do not need to distribute your app via the app store to deploy it to your own phone. However, if you do not distribute the app via the app store then it ultimately doesn't get digitally signed by Apple and when your provisioning profile expires you will not be able to run the app on your phone until you have renewed the provisioning profile.
Well you may be able to do it if you jailbreak your iPhone. I haven't tried it myself but I found this link.
You'll have to decide for yourself about the moral implications of by passing apple's security.
We want to move an application to iPhone, without iTunes. There are two questions: 1) how does the application which moves other applications to iPhone connect to iPhone? 2) if we use iTunes to do that, which method implement connecting to iPhone in iTunes's API.
I don't think there is a public API for communicating with the iPhone. To install an app you will have to use an Apple tool, either iTunes, Xcode, or the iPhone Configuration Utility.
If it is acceptable to use iTunes, you can make an ad hoc build and package it as an IPA file, to allow people to easily install it through iTunes without going through the App Store.
2 ways come to mind:
1) You can do this with TestFlight
It allows you to upload your app to a website, and manage the process of delivering builds to developers/testers using a web based interface. Note that it uses a feature detailed here in the Apple docs. Try it.... You won't be disappointed!
Note that you can have 2 types of licenses with Apple for development:
"Developer" license - costs ~ $100/year. Requires you register each device you want to develop and deploy your application with.
"Enterprise" license - costs ~ $300/year, and doesn't require that you register each device. But you have to be a registered business of some sort for this.
So if you have an Enterprise license with Apple, you can deploy to any device with TestFlight, without needing it to be registered with Apple's dev center (or using iTunes or the following tool as well!)
2) Use the iPhone Configuration Utility from Apple:
This is a tool intended for Enterprise use, but it can be used by anyone. It provides a way to install lots of applications on a device very simply, by pretty much clicking a checkbox. It's available for Mac and Windows. You can get to more info about it on this page, by searching for "iPhone Configuration Utility"