Wireless iOS distribution not possible over SSL?

Question

I have an app that I can install over wireless with no problem without SSL.

Through my iOS device, I hit an HTML file with the proper itms link to the manifest plist file, and the manifest file starts the install of the app.

When SSL is added to the mix, things go wrong. I can reach the HTML file via SSL just find. If modify the url string in the manifest to use https instead of http, I still get a prompt to install the app, but upon tapping "Install", I get an error prompt saying "Unable to download AppName". From the looks of the progress bar in the app icon outline, none of the app has been downloaded. The apache ssl_request log and the error log are silent. The access log just shows a hit on the manifest file where normally it shows a hit to both the manifest and ipa file. The console log on the iOS device gives no illumination either.

Ok, so I tried a different route, just to see what would happen. If I instead modify the itms link to the manifest file to use https instead of http, I get an immediate error of not being able to connect the server hosting the files. In this case, the error, ssl, and access logs are silent, while the iOS console states:

Fri Mar  4 00:15:47 unknown itunesstored[5009] <Warning>: Could not load download manifest with underlying error: Error Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1202 "Cannot connect to the Store" UserInfo=0x1bd790 {NSLocalizedFailureReason=A secure connection could not be established.  Please check your Date & Time settings., NSLocalizedDescription=Cannot connect to the Store}

Any ideas? SSL will be a requirement going forward so I have to account for it. If it matters, I'm using a self signed cert. I installed this cert onto the iOS device, but it did not change any of the behavior described above. This is on iOS 4.2.1 and Apache/2.2.15.

Surely I'm not the only one who's tried this. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

It was indeed a self signed cert issue. I got a trial SSL cert, installed in on my test machine, and installed the intermediate CAs on the iOS device by mailing them. After that, I had no problem installed the apps via all the scenarios I listed above.

Answer 2

I think that it's possible :

Installing Apps Wirelessly

"The app and manifest can be placed in a hidden directory, or in any other location that's readable using HTTP or HTTPS."

Answer 3

I met same problem and solved today.

make sure that your plist is valid xml file.

In my case, replace & to & of ipa-url then fixed.