Lets say I have a client that wishes me to build a business app for the iphone. I would still need to enroll to the standard developer program so that the app can be installed on real devices and the only way for my client to install the app is through the app store? I cannot just distribute it to my client directly?
I'm just reading about how to start developing for iphone, so i'm a total noob. Any information is appreciated.
Thanks,
Yes you do need a developer license. No you can distribute it directly if you have each device setup on your account to do so. I am also pretty sure apple has a special license that makes it easier for handling enterprise applications you might want to send them an email to ask about it.
EDIT
Ok I found a link. It is more expensive the normal but this is definitely what you want for your company. It lets you do adhoc distribution across your company.
http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/enterprise/
You need a developer certificate to put an app on any iOS device with a stock OS.
What kind of certificate and how many you need depends on the type and amount of distribution you require, and the size of your client's company.
You most likely will need to join the iOS developer program ($99/annum) yourself to install and test your apps as you develop them. In addition you can deploy Ad Hoc installations for up to 100 devices (including your own, your testers, your clients, plus, very importantly, including all repair replacements and upgrade devices).
Your client may not need any license if they only want a few copies and are willing to have you renew your Ad Hoc installs a few times per year.
If your client wishes to deploy an app in their own name outside their company or through the iTunes App store, then they need to apply to the iOS developer program themselves.
If your client is large enough to have a published Dunn & Bradstreet rating, and wishes to deploy only to their employees, then they can apply to the more expensive Enterprise iOS Developer program, and run their own internal app store.
Related
We have an application which will be used only by customers nationwide and for this reason we do not want to put the application on appstore. Shortly we want to publish it on one of our servers like a zip file then the customers will connect to that server and download the application. Yesterday when I called to apple support, one of the customer represantatives said to me that this is not possible even if we choose the enterprise license. But today I found a link which it says it can be possible. http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#featuredarticles/FA_Wireless_Enterprise_App_Distribution/Introduction/Introduction.html
Now, I want to know that is there anybody had same problem in here? What are the differences between enterprise license and company license? And the most important is that how can we do what we want to do if it is possible?
It's not officially possible.
You could try Enterprise distribution as others have mention, though it's not designed for distribution outside your company. I'm not saying it will happen, but if Apple find you're doing it they might close your developer account. I've never heard of that happening; only you can decide whether it's an acceptible risk.
Apple would say that you should put the app in the App Store. Unless Apple would reject your app I don't see why this wouldn't work. You don't have to make it easy to find and you don't have to make it cheap.
You can limit it to your customers by requiring a log in. Many, many apps do this, from Salesforce to Skype to Twitter.
Your options are:
Use solutions like TestFlight (free AFAIK) and HockeyApp (paid
service / 1 month free trial) which use UDIDs for app distribution - they
allow seamless ad-hoc distributions.
Use Apple's corporate license ($99/yr) + enterprise license
($299/yr) at the same time and use the latter to distribute your
betas/products without managing UDIDs (i.e. anyone with a link to
your server can install the app, but you can introduce serial numbers etc.).
NOTE: using enterprise license obliges user to not share the app
outside the company, but most companies breach the license agreement
(sharing the apps outside company is not traceable AFAIK).
If you plan to distribute your app outside App Store, option 2 with enterprise license is a way to go, but mind the license agreement on other hand.
The Apple representitive was wrong.
With an enterprise account you can sign an application using an enterprise distribution certificate and provisioning profile, which lets the app run on any device with no restrictions.
You can also use Over-The-Air distribution which lets people install the app through a simple http link in Safari (for example).
We use this a lot at my workplace. We have hundreds of people around the world using our (private) apps, all installed via safari.
The standard Corporate license only lets you manage a maximum of 100 devices on your developer account, but if you take this route you can still use Over-The-Air distribution with an ad-hoc distribution certificate/profile. But you have to manage each device id yourself.
If the cost of the enterprise account is not too much for you, that is definitely the route to take.
It's like Apple said, not possible.
You can add device to the ad-hoc profile, this will allow your app to run on 100 device maximum.
You can use the Enterprise license but you will still need to register the device before the app can be installed and there is still a a maximum.
See the comment of Mike Weller.
Mustafa
you can generate your OTA(Over-The-Air) file in which you set your appropriate profile(with client`s UDID) and send that link to your client and easily provide your update.with using little bit help of your web-developer.check here.
hope this is helpful to you mate...
I am developing custom iPad applications for clients. So far I know that you cannot distribute the same app to more than 100 iOS devices. Although I have read that this method of deploying applications is meant for "beta testing" and that I have to renew the profile every three months.
I was wondering, is there a workaround to this issue? I simply cannot be updating deployment profiles to every one of my clients I'm deploying a custom app to.
Can someone provide me with some information/advice?
Your options are somewhat limited for a custom app. These are really the best options you have for your clients. With proper security and authentication the app store could a decent solution.
Deploy App to the app store
Deploy an enterprise application (Recommended, Requires Dun & Bradstreet Number)
Require that the app is for use on jailbroken devices
Enterprise deployment may solve this problem for you, but to the best of my knowledge Apple will not approve you until you have a large number of employees (500+).
The three month expiration of profiles is only for development profiles. If you produce an Ad Hoc build, these profiles are good for one year.
Update August 2011: Apple now allows iOS developers to write custom apps for businesses. Your customer needs to enroll in the Volume Purchase Program, but presumably after that you can make apps available only to them and not to the general public through the App Store. (Disclaimer: I have not yet done this myself.)
More information on Apple's page about the Volume Purchase Program.
There are different types of developer program that you can be enrolled on. For this you would need the iOS Developer Enterprise Program
I have to write an application for a friend to use in his business - so it won't be on the App store. How do I go about deploying it and distributing this app?
Would he require a enterprize licence? And where/how would he download it to his device for testing purposes?
I've already asked this question, some interesting answers - see here:
Alternative solutions for in-house iPhone enterprise app distribution
EDIT: I realise there is more to your question than what is answered in mine.
Yes, the client will need to get an enterprise license (Apple recently removed the 500 employee limit). Once he has the license, he will need to add you as a developer under his license. This will allow you to develop and digitially sign the app on your machine.
As for testing, when you enroll in an iOS development program, you can then generate + download the appropriate certificiates to sign an app for hardware testing. You'll need to install what's called a "Provising Profile" onto the testing device, then when you're in xcode, change the deployment type from "iPhoneSimulator" to "Device" - this will then compile + deploy the app in it's current state to the device. You can also install this Provising Profile onto other devices then send them the compiled app (which is installed via iTunes).
There is more to be found out about this by going to the Apple Developer Portal but I thought I'd give a brief overview of what you were asking.
An enterprise license you need something like 9000 employees.
The only other way to do it would be to add all their devices to your provisioning portal and supply them with ad-hoc releases which they can drag and drop into itunes to add to their devices.
If your friend's business requires deploying to less than 50 to 100 total devices (the 50 includes 100% replacements/upgrades, the 100 includes zero), then they can apply for a regular iOS Developer Company enrollment (not Enterprise), and use Ad Hoc deployment, which does not require an store (just email/website plus iTunes).
Enterprise requires a D&B rating, usually something that only larger companies have.
There is another solution: an own app store:
http://rhomobile.com/products/rhogallery/
unfortunately only in combination with RhoHub.
Or:
http://www.appcentral.com/
More info:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/business/integration/mdm/
http://www.cio.com/article/638175/Emerging_Tech_Alternatives_to_Apple_App_Store_For_Enterprises?page=2&taxonomyId=3002
I want to build an application for the iPhone to be used inside a customer enterprise (very small, only 5 to 10 devices). But since they will be paying the application development, I don't want to distribute that application to the world inside the App Store in iTunes. How can I distribute this app to my customer? Should I get the Enterprise level subscription from the Apple Developer Program? Since I work as a freelancer, I think I can't subscribe to that program.
You should have the client purchase the Enterprise subscription.
The alternative, since there are only a few devices, is to regularly provide provisioning profiles for all devices. This sounds like a huge hassle to me. The profiles expire every 3 months last I checked, but it has changed before.
If you really want to scrape the barrel, there is also jailbreaking :)
Can I go around Apple and offer applications to users, or do they force you to go through them? How? Just legally?
Aside from the App Store (and jailbreaking), Apple provides two official routes to install applications on the iPhone.
Enterprise Distribution: designed for internal users of a company
Ad Hoc Distribution: allows your app to be installed on up to 100 iPhones
Source: http://developer.apple.com/iphone/program/distribute.html
For phones that are not jailbroken, distribution rules are enforced by the iPhone's code-signing system. The phone won't run any apps that aren't signed by Apple, and the only way to get an app signed is either to get it into the app store or to use ad-hoc distribution.
Ad-hoc is effective but time consuming for more than a few devices, in that you have to get the unique device ID for each device you want to distribute the app to. You then sign the app for that device and send a copy along with a provision file. Some batching is possible-- you can get up to 100 devices in the same ad-hoc build. But if/when Apple finds out you're doing it, they'll close your iPhone developer account (for violating the rules) and then you won't be able to generate any more provision files.
One developer tried using the ad-hoc approach last year when Apple rejected their app (Podcaster). They claimed to have sold something like 1100-1200 copies before Apple shut them down.
Jailbroken phones don't have this limitation, but it's up to you to determine (a) whether the market is big enough and (b) whether enough of those people will be willing to pay for your app. I don't know the answers-- it could well be "yes" to both-- but don't just assume they're true without investigating enough to make a reasonable prediction.
If you wish to distribute applications to phones with out going through the App Store, you must sign each copy of your application for a specific phone handset. If you need more wide spread distribution, all your client phones must be "jail broken". Once a phone is jail broken, it will accept any application for installation.
You can offer applications through Cydia for jailbroken iPhones / iPods. Cydia uses a system similar to Debian's apt. Basically allows users to add custom "sources" (repositories) and install applications provided by those sources.
Obviously this is not supported or approved by Apple since it circumvents the App store and their App approval process.