Distribution of the enterprise iOS application

Question

We are going to develop iOS application for enterprise. As I see we need take a part in Enterprise Developers Program. But there is a some points I want to clarify:

1. Is it right that Enterprise Developers Program allow to distribute the application without the publication of them in App Store ? If it is where the user will get our application ? It will be separate portal ? Or something else ?

2. Our customers don't want that our (and their) iOS program will be sensed to Apple. Is it possible to distribute our application within our customers without the publication it on App Store and event without the sending it to Apple ? How will be working program distribution and the update process in this case ?

Answer 1

An app is just a file. You can distribute them through a sophisticated framework such as a custom App store hosted on your own servers or just place them on a web server. In fact, you could also just email the app or push them through iTunes or other file sharing technology.

When you sign up as any iOS developer - you can install apps on your devices without ever submitting them to Apple. In the case of an enterprise account, you are allowed to install them for production use as well as development use.

The mechanism you choose for Mobile Device Management will affect your costs and benefits for the various distribution methods, but your general question is answered - Yes, as an enterprise developer no Apple involvement is needed or possible if you don't want your apps ever on the App Store in general or getting reviewed by Apple in specific.

Answer 2

There seems to be some misunderstanding here. If you have an enterprise license, you can distribute any number of apps within your enterprise. If you are a developer, not part of that enterprise, you don’t need an enterprise license - it is actually no good to you. Assuming that neither you nor the enterprise want to go through the App Store, you can deliver the IPA files, or you could take your Mac with your finished product and create a build on behalf of the enterprise.