Does anyone have any idea on how to perform over-the-air, deployment of an iPhone app?
Apple's document say that enterprise applications can be distributed OTA, but don't describe , how to go about it.
Any ideas??
Thanks in advance.
I guess when I asked this question, wireless app distribution was not supported. But it is supported since iOS 4.0. In case anyone stumbles upon this question...check out http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#featuredarticles/FA_Wireless_Enterprise_App_Distribution/Introduction/Introduction.html
Also you can do testing of this feature using http://www.diawi.com/
I didn't even know Over the Air was official for so long now! Anyway, first OTA service I've met was TestFlight, which is very much like that diawi you've pointed.
And here I'll quote this great guide I've found about AdHoc OTA with XCode:
If you’ve been through the distribution process of an Ad Hoc application, you can appreciate the challenges of getting a build installed on someone’s device. From the differences of working with users on Windows versus Mac machines, to explaining how to import an Ad Hoc provisioning file and the associated build into iTunes, this process is anything but a walk in the park.
(...) deploying Ad Hoc builds over-the-air, where users simply point the Safari web-browser (on their iPhone) to a link and tap to install the provisioning file and associated application.
Just to highlight the distinct advantage of deploying over the air.
Related
can someone tell me how Amen (getamen.com) can offer their iphone beta app as in-browser download? doesn't it need the device uuid and some certificates/profiles? maybe by testflight sdk?
thanks
I second the notion that it could bea an enterprise distribution; we've worked with clients who do this sort of things for a limited crowd (e.g. their employees only). Check out the following links which might help;
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#featuredarticles/FA_Wireless_Enterprise_App_Distribution/Introduction/Introduction.html
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/Enterprise_Deployment_Guide.pdf
Is it enterprise distribution? You don't need UDIDs for that. The enterprise provisioning profile is generated with the enterprise certificate and specific App IDs.
Chances are the closed beta is not using enterprise provisioning, UDIDs are being gathered, and they are using ordinary ad hoc OTA distribution. Anyone can do this, you just need a web server and a small amount of HTML. Xcode's Archive build can do almost all the work for you. Testflight works the same way and does not get around needing UDIDs, the value there (to me at least) is all the tester management and feedback.
This isn't a coding question, but is to to do with beta testing my app and so I think it's relevant for here.
I want to give my app to people to try, such as online friends and my parents, neither of whom live anywhere near me. Am i able to provision an iPod Touch or iPhone for testing my app, and put the app onto that iPod or iPhone without doing it directly from my computer?
Yes, you need to generate an Ad-Hoc build. You get the beta testers to send you the UDID for their phones, then build an Ad-Hoc build targeting those devices and email it to them. They install it by dragging it into iTunes and then syncing their phone.
In reality it can be a bit of a trial the first time you generate an Ad-Hoc build. Apple's docs cover all the facts but lack a simple step-by-step guide. I'd strongly suggest you check out TestFlight - it's free to use and it makes the whole process much easier.
(If you're feeling really adventurous you could try out Anticipation, a simple Ad Hoc distribution tool I wrote that runs on Google App Engine. It's free and open source, so help yourself!)
You are looking for Ad Hoc Distribution in Provisioning Portal. Basically, you will need to create an Ad Hoc Distribution Profile that has the Unique Device ID's of the devices your friends will use to test.
In Xcode, you will build your app with the above-mentioned distribution file using Build and Archive. When You open Organizer and click on the archived app, you will choose Share -> Email. This will open your mail client and attach the .ipa and the correct distribution file for your users to drop onto iTunes and Sync.
You want to look in to Ad Hoc Distribution. You'll create an Ad Hoc Distribution Provisioning Profile on the Provisioning Portal, then Build & Archive, then "Share" the archive signed with your Ad Hoc profile.
Check out this article, it walks you through it and shows a nice way to distribute it online. Note that you have to repeat the process every time you make a change to your app or add a new device to the profile.
You have to create an ad-hoc version of your app.
You need to get the UUID of the users devices. Erica Sadun created an app that helps you doing this. It gets the uuid on the device and emails it to you. Those UUID goes into a special provisioning profile you create in the provisioning center on dev.apple.
For ad hoc deployment I use Hockey Framework. Some php files you put on your webserver with the ad hoc version and the provisioning profile.
Beta testers can then install the app by visiting the website with their devices.
I'm currently creating an iPhone app and we need some testing with about 20~30 users.
Actually we put the app on our iPhone by connecting the iPhone to the computer and debugging the app.
But now we need to have a more efficient way to install the app on iPhone but without submitting it to Apple Store and also without the need to connect the iPhone to the computer hosting Xcode.
Do you think there is a way to do that ?
Thanks in advance :)
Yeah there's a very slick way to do adhoc distribution under iOS 4 that's outlined here. This method involves absolutely zero usb cables and does not require a jailbroken device either. Perfectly legit and above board.
You need to use AdHoc installation. Please see this nice Apple document, it should cover every step necessary even with step-by-step instructions.
I use www.TestFlightApp.com, it's a great services, not out yet, but recently opened up their beta's, it does all the ad hoc stuff for you alls you need to do is invite testers, let it export it to your dev portal. Then you just upload the ipa to the site, and all your testers get an email.
I have a little app that I want (potentially) a lot of my clients to test and give feedback on before launch, do I really need to setup a massive list of UUID's in the provisioning profile and build against that certificate, email them the .APP file and the certificate?
I was hoping for a, perhaps, private app store? But I cannot seem to find much on this topic
Any advice or help is greatly appreciated here :)
Cheers,
Mark
It seems that even with the Enterprise option, you'll still need to distribute a provisioning profile:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/Enterprise_Deployment_Guide.pdf (particularly Chapter 5)
However, it looks like you won't need to add each device to this provisioning profile if it's an Enterprise profile, but the users themselves (or the IT support staff) would have to add the provisioning profile to each machine with iTunes.
Without Enterprise profile, unfortunately the answer is YES. And with enterprise profile, the scenario is already explained in previous answer.
If they all have iPhone SDK installed in their Mac, and if your app doesn't require device-specific features (camera, accelerometer...) then you can just zip your app folder in your iPhone simulator's Application Support folder and send it to all your clients.
It works great for a number of my clients, especially to validate the user interface.
How can i build provisioning profile for deploying an iPhone application?
Agree with above, but here is a the gist of it.
Register with Apple as an iPhone developer.
Give them 100 bucks to get your entrance into the club that can deploy apps onto phones.
Create your mobile provisioning in the Portal you gain access to in 2.
Build your apps using this mobile provisioning, in various scenarios. (Development, AdHoc distribution, deployment.)
Please read the documentation. If you have a specific problem feel free to update your question.
Ensure that your iPhone is not jailbroken. The process described is a bit of a pain but it's a one-time thing.