How to test the final distribution build before submitting it for review to the iPhone app store?

Question

I have developed an iPhone App and I want to test this final distribution build before submitting it to the App Store for review. Is there any safe way to make this app to run on a device?

Answer 1

You might want to also check out Craig Hockenberry's "The final test" blog post.

Craig gives a method of testing where the only difference between what you test and what you submit is the signing identity.

Answer 2

No, you can't. This makes me a little nuts, too. If you set up an ad-hoc distribution profile, that is as close as you can get. On the "positive" side, you're guaranteed to have your app rejected if it can't be installed properly...

Answer 3

check this out, you can actually test a distribution build :

http://nikhilkerala.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-test-app-store-distribution.html

Answer 4

You can setup a beta through the iPhone portal program. You can then load the App and the associated profile onto a phone through iTunes or XCode.

Answer 5

I know this question is a little old, but I've recently found a better way of testing and distributing my Apps prior to submission and this method allows me to easily get it on real devices without having to have the device physically in my hands or have the user muck with provisioning profiles, certificates or iTunes syncing.

Developers can create an account on TestFlight and create a team.

After creating a team, invite testers to your team (click "Invite a Teammate" on the team's page). The tester will receive an invitation email to join your team and will be walked through the process of creating a basic account (name, email, password) and will have their device registered and their account will be added to your team.

Once you have your testers in place, go to your team's page and select all the testers, export their device information via the link and import that list into an Ad-Hoc distribution profile.

Import that profile (and the Ad-Hoc certificate) into Xcode and rebuild your project and share it as an *.ipa file.

Go back to your TestFlightApp.com team's page and upload the binary. All the testers on your team with access to the build will get an email notification about it. All they have to do is click "Install" in the email and they will be taken to a TestFlightApp.com page that will install the App on their device over the air, no iTunes, no mucking around with profiles, etc.

I tested it this morning actually and I'm very impressed with how easy it is and it also happens to be free.

Answer 6

It is actually possible to install the distribution build if you have once previously installed an Ad Hoc build on your phone. Most people simply never tried it =)

And no jailbreak is required. For step by step instructions, see my answer here:

Testing App Store "Distribution" version