How to Create iOS app for anyone

Targets iOS
1

Hi,
I can’t believe I can’t find this information. The Apple site was no help either.
But can I create an app in iOS, give it to them and they use it?
Without going through the App Store?
How does that work?
Thanks

2

But can I create an app in iOS, give it to them and they use it? NO
Without going through the App Store? YOU DON’T
How does that work? IT DOESN’T

well actually you can… you get a Dev Certificate, and you add your friend as a team member , but otherwise you don’t

3

The App Store is by far the most common method for general distribution.

Apple’s App Distribution Guide has information about distributing outside the App Store.

Specifically:

[quote]Distribute Your App Outside the Store
Alternatively, join the iOS Developer Enterprise Program and distribute your in-house applications directly to employees. To distribute a Mac app outside of the Mac App Store, request and sign your application with a Developer ID certificate. If you’re distributing your application outside the store, you follow a slightly different process. You don’t have access to iTunes Connect and some app services so can skip those steps.[/quote]

4

Thanks, I hadn’t run across the iOS developer library yet, that will help.

5

https://developer.apple.com/testflight/

6

still the equivalent of uploading to “The Store”… just that it is not for public deployment…
The rest of the requirements (DevCert, signing, etc) are still in place

7

I like Apple products, but it kind of blows my mind you buy a 600 dollar iPad, and you can’t just create a program to sell (or give) to the 20 or 30 people on planet Earth that will need it. sheesh

8

That is exactly why I will likely never write an iOS app.

One reason I write apps is to help myself (and others ) at work, but I do it largely on my own time and on own dime.

To go through the financial and other hassles for iOS apps is just not worth it.

Money aside, such apps, from a purely practically standpoint, would really not need to follow the same requirements as those for the app store and the extra work that requires.

I know a fair # of people at work have iOS devices so it could think of useful (and very specific) apps, but the barriers are just too high for me to me motivated to do it.

  • Karen
9

You can install up to 100 apps on devices with Ad Hoc distribution without the need to go through the App Store. You do need the $99 a year developer contract.

See links at ios adhoc distribution how to at DuckDuckGo