Question

I'm confused about Apple's distribution options of iOS Apps, especially about the Enterprise stuff. On the web there are no clear answers, or a million opposite answers.

I put this here on SO because the problems are also about building apps, signing them etc. So I thought it would fit best here, especially because of the knowledge of developers who have gone through the various processes of app distribution.

Here's my knowledge. Can somebody please correct the wrong points or confirm correct ones?

  1. With the standard developer license, apps can only be deployed through Apple's App Store. Apps have to pass a review.
  2. The standard license allows to deploy to up to 100 devices per year for testing purposes. The app must be signed with a certificate/profile that contains all the devices IDs the app is going to be installed on. It will not be possible to install on other devices. If a new device is added, the app has to be rebuilt/resigned with an updated profile. The app does not have to be reviewed.
  3. The In-house distribution license allows installation on up to 1000 (?) devices of the license owner's company. It is illegal to give the app to third party iOS users. Publishing through Apple's store is not supported. The app does not need to be reviewed by Apple. What is totally unclear in this context: how is that manageable? If a new employee wants to install the app on his iPhone, does the app have to be rebuild and signed with a profile that includes the new device ID? Or does the new employee need some profile installed on his device? How exactly does that work?
  4. If a company wants to build an app exclusively for B2B, what options are there? It does not make sense to put it in the official App Store. Is there the possibility of a separate "Sub-App-Store"?
  5. To my knowledge there is no way to distribute an app without any restrictions wrt number of devices without going through App Store. Correct?
Was it helpful?

Solution

Your Enterprise AdHoc/Developer is limited to 100 devices

Enterprise Distribution is unlimited except by the contract (employees only)

Look at the Business Volume Purchase Program (US only) for B2B http://www.apple.com/business/vpp/

AFAIK 4) is almost impossible to do outside the US unless you put the app on the AppStore.

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