Is it possible to test an app on a device (ipad/iphone) without having the device connected?

Question

This is NOT a question about avoiding to pay apple, my boss has no problem paying the $99 enrolling fee to do the signing certificate stuff. Jailbreaking is not an option.

I have a customer that I am developing an app for, and they want to test/preview the app on their device, before traveling to the office to have a meeting about what to do with the app next.

Q 1. After doing research and finding guides on how to test on a device (http://mobiforge.com/developing/story/deploying-iphone-apps-real-devices) they all seem to say that the device has to be connected in order to be tested on is this the only way?

Q 2. Also, if I do get them to come into the office and set the device up to be tested on, will i be able to test it in the future without it being connect? Will I be able to somehow send them it?

Q 3. How exactly does distributing work, do you make a private app or something so only the customer that is having the app developed can use it, and not have it on the app store?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give or a link to point me in the right direction.

Answer 1

Here's the short of it.

1. You get their UDID for their device and get a certificate from Apple (after paying the subscription).
2. Then you build the app with the certificate for the device (not simulator) target.
3. The user then installs the certificate. (they can just drag-drop on itunes).
4. I believe the app should be zipped (like during submission to the store) but it's pretty much the same process as the certificate.

If you need links, I can provide them, but this is how it works.

In the future, if you build with that certificate, the user only has to re-install the application. If the user is not connected to a Computer, you won't get Debug information, but they can run it to their hearts content.

Certificates expire after a while, so you'll have to get a new one every once and a while. But it's not that much of an issue.