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Does the iPhone / iPod Touch support bulk enterprise app deployment or would all customers have to buy from app store
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Closed 9 years ago.
I have a client that wises to distribute their iphone application to only their employees and not on the iTunes App Store. To me this sounds like a situation for Enterprise Distribution.
Could someone explain to me in as much detail as possible this process. I know we will need to enroll as an Enterprise Distribution Member before any of this can happen, but after that I am not sure how the end-to-end distribution process works.
Really the main question is "How do we 'push' the application to the indvidual's iPhones?"
Thanks in advance. Any help is much appreciated.
You have several choices:
(1) Email your IPA files to employees with install instructions into the desktop iTunes App.
(2) Create your own web server, put your IPA files up on the server. Provide instructions for iTunes app installation.
(3) Use a product that provides over the air distribution and helps in deployment and management, handles updates, reports on downloads, etc.
If option (3) makes sense, look at EASE (Enterprise App Services Environment) from Apperian which is specifically designed to help developers deploy and manage apps in the IOS environment. The program is free for developers using ad-hoc profiles, you can sign up at http://www.apperian.com/ease.
Note that you will have to join the Apple iOS Developer Enterprise Program (IDEP) in order to build "enterprise" apps, but this is easy to do now that Apple has lifted the 500-employee restriction.
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I have submitted three in-house apps to app store with the username and password requirement to access the app. But it was rejected the second time. I followed the solutions offered here in the following posts,
Alternative solutions for in-house iPhone enterprise app distribution
iPad in-house App distribution through App Store
I used an alertview to ask for username and password. Username and password are saved in keychain. My applications are single window applications that doesn't require internet connection. How can I submit my app to the app store? Some suggest implementing php username and login for the app. How can I accomplish that? Can anyone give an explanation ?
Reason I have got from Apple:
We found that your app is an in-house application, intended for
employees or members of your organization. As such, it is not
appropriate for the App Store.
For information on distributing proprietary, in-house applications,
please refer to the iOS Developer Enterprise Program.
If you cannot - or choose not to - revise your app to be in compliance
with the App Store Review Guidelines, you may wish to build an HTML5
web app instead. You can distribute web apps directly on your web
site; the App Store does not accept or distribute web apps.
HTML5 is the major new version of HTML and enables audio and video to
play natively in the browser without requiring proprietary plug-ins.
Using HTML5, web apps can look and behave like native iPhone and iPad
apps, and using HTML5's Offline Application Cache, a web app can work
even when the device is offline. With web apps, you have flexibility
to deliver as much or as little functionality as you desire.
To get started with iPhone or iPad web apps, please review Getting
Started with iPhone Web Apps.
For a description of the HTML elements and attributes you can use in
Safari on iPhone, check out Safari HTML Reference: Introduction.
Just as Apple suggested, you should look into the iOS Developer Enterprise Program. It is created specifically to work for in-house app development.
With an enterprise distribution profile and certificate, you can create .ipa files that can be installed on any device, with no need to get the device IDs of all devices you plan to install it on beforehand.
This line says it all,
We found that your app is an in-house application, intended for employees or members of your organization. As such, it is not appropriate for the App Store.
For information on distributing proprietary, in-house applications, please refer to the iOS Developer Enterprise Program.
They don't want in-house apps on the store, they want you to use their enterprise program.
Apple as a company wants to make the most money and for them they limit this method to make more money. However it is only $300.
University (i think it's similar to Enterprise but for academic institution) will not work since it requires the device id's like ad-hoc.
For iOS 3 programs are available:
Developer, to submit to App Store only
Enterprise only for in-house distribution, ie in your company limited to your employees and not for App Store
University (i think it's similar to Enterprise but for academic institution)
To confirm you strongly that you cannot use Enterprise as you wish, i can tell you that when my company subscribed Enterprise Program, someone from Apple phone me asking if I understood that Enterprise license does not allowed to submit on the App Store.
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
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.
This question already has answers here:
Closed 12 years ago.
Possible Duplicate:
iPhone apps for company-internal use - possible?
As a developer, I can sign up with Apple to develop and sell applications through Apple store. I think there may be ways for companies to setup company-wide applications so that those applications can only be deployed, downloaded, updated and used within a company. Is that true?
If so, does any one have experience to develop application within a company for iPhone? What's the procedure? Is it possible to set up a company Store for deploying and using applications? If there is any price related to this kind of service? and how much if it is possible?
That's correct, there's an iPhone developer program for enterprises.
this link should get you started: http://www.apple.com/iphone/business/
Actually there's a special enterprise development program, which costs $299 per year. It allows in-house development.
I have answered for a similar question here. Here's my post again, below:
"You have 2 types of subscription for the iPhone developer:
$99 a year - regular program with the ability to upload your applications to the app store.
$299 a year - enterprise program that is used for distributing apps inside the company...
The second program is exactly for you."