My app has been approved but is awaiting developer release as I want to release it manually. Before releasing, it however, I want to test using test flight
When I try to send the approved build to my testers, Apple asks for a login id and then gives me a dialog to Submit For Review. Is this just Apple being clumsy with their language or do they actually want to review it again before testing even though it's been approved?
Anyone have any experience with this?
Here is pic of dialog box
My experience is that the Store and TestFlight are two different worlds with two different approval processes — but that the former affects the latter in a peculiar way.
The way the issue you raise has arisen in particular for me is that you release, say, version 1.1 build 26 on the Store, it is ready for sale, and then you proceed with development and upload version 1.1 build 27 to TestFlight. Even though 1.1(26) is being sold already, and even if 1.1(26) was already released on TestFlight, 1.1(27) requires a new approval! In other words, it appears that an App Store release resets the approval clock, as it were, on TestFlight.
That is almost exactly your situation. The approval on the App Store apparently means that your next TestFlight upload needs a new approval. So yes, you will have to wait while it is approved. This usually takes just a couple of days.
Instead of using TestFlight, there is even more simpler method to test the Apple approved build (Pending Developer Release state) before releasing to Store. It is Promo code testing.
You can generate nearly 100 promo codes, if i am not wrong. These promo codes can be shared to the developers so that they can actually test the store build without releasing it to app store.
You can find many articles about Promo codes. I have shared one here.
Related
I am planning to release my first iOS app in AppStore today. I have two questions
1) The app is already approved so if I release it then how soon will it be available in store for user to download & install?
2) if there are some issues with the app then I need to rollback. Is it easy to rollback and how soon app disappear from the store?
Once apps are released to the store it can take up to 48hrs for them to be visible. (In some rare instances even longer, especially if it is the first app of the account)
There's no easy way to rollback an app. For that you should do extensive on device testing via TestFlight or similar. You can remove an app from sale, i.e. it is no longer possible to download it. You can then submit an app update and request an expedited review to get the fix faster to your customers and the app back online.
I have an IOS app in the app store. My plan is to make it free, and create an in-app purchase of a non-consumable product within it.
I have included some, but not all, of the in-app code needed to do this. I have uploaded the resulting builds to iTunes Connect without a problem.
To test the code I have created a test user in the 'sandbox'. I have logged out of my 'real' Apple ID (iCloud etc) in my iPhone and logged into the sandbox account...
and this is the point where I am confused...
When I click on the icon for my app, am I seeing its latest build, or the 'ready for sale' version. Do I have to anything? Is the Sandbox looking at my latest build or at the 'ready for sale' version?
BTW, I'm using Phobegap Build.
Do I have to submit the app for review to Apple before I'm able to see the app in the Sandbox?
If it passes the review, does that then mean it becomes the 'ready for sale' version? If so, how do I develop the code efficiently if I have to resubmit each time? My first submit is going to contain errors... do I have to submit a 'perfect' working version before I continue development (which clearly doesn't make sense!).
As you can see I'm confused. The online help that I've found online is really helpful (especially Stack Overflow... thank you everyone), but 'big-picture' advice is elusive.
For one thing, if you submit (for the AppStore) the exact same build that has already passed Beta App Review - can there be a case that it's admitted without review?
I imagine that the requirements for the AppStore might be more strict than for a Beta, but on the other hand, if it was good enough in the first place, someone could have ticked the right boxes and made the process easier for both sides, right?
In a more general case, if it's a different build of an app that has passed Beta Review, will that make the App Store Review time shorter?
In our experience having a Beta has had no impact on app review times. The Beta review is very quick, usually less than a couple of hours. I don't think this review is used to reduce review time for an app store build.
I am trying to release an invite-only iOS App. I don't particularly want this app on the App Store, and using TestFlight causes a lot of problems (having to constantly update binaries, limited users... Apple IDs).
At the same time I'd rather not have to resort to a third party distribution to get this kind of an alert.
Is it possible to release a secret invite-only App on the App Store?
Consider enrolling for an Apple Developer Enterprise Program
This will cost more but then you can distribute using your server . You can use MDM also no need to upload or use test flight.
I am not sure the last time you used Test Flight, but it has changed a lot in the last year. There can still be headaches with it, but since it was bought by Apple you now distribute your App through iTunes Connect which is the same way you would do it for releasing in the App store. You have a number of beta testers (up to 1000) that all you need is their email address. You can also have internal testers (up to 25 I think) which will get every build you upload automatically (however they do have some access to the information about your app through their iTunes accounts).
So in summary it takes the same amount of work and the same process to have beta testers that it does to release it through the App Store except that you don't have to wait the 5+ days for the App review. Do note that the beta version will expire after 30 days at which point you just need to upload a new one.
You cannot release a secret App on the App Store, as it violated Apple's App Store Review Guidelines
2.22 Apps that arbitrarily restrict which users may use the App, such as by location or carrier, may be rejected
We are looking at running a test campaign for our iOS mobile app with a few hundreds users, using TestFlight.
(We cannot use an Apple Enterprise account)
The test will last 50 days and there is a 30-day limitation for test flight builds.
the documentation says:
To continue testing after the 30-day period expires, upload another
build. Internal testers automatically receive an update notification
when the new build is available. To distribute the new build to
external testers, you resubmit it to Beta App Review. As soon as it is
approved, you can send the external testers an update email by
clicking Send Invites from the External Testers column on Builds,
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/Chapters/BetaTestingTheApp.html
So, in theory, we could test version 0.9.0 for a month, then build and distribute 0.9.1 and have people update (yes a little clunky).
The question is does it really work and what happens to local app data when updating? things like coreData and NSUserDefault?
It would be great to have some sort of absolute confirmation than those are fine.
I cannot fully test that because update behaviour might be different before and after passing that 30 days limit.
Thanks in advance.
Yes, posting two version works. The app data should not be affected. Make sure your testers are aware of this limitation and do update before the deadline.
Note, If you update the build number instead of the version, Testflight groups it together and automatically sends the update. When you change the version you have to log in to iTunes Connect and enable Testflight on the new version.
If you want to skip the 30 day limit, you can use other services for distribution, such as Fabric's Beta. This requires registering each device though, and you're limited to 100 devices on the developer portal. If you need more, you could create multiple developer accounts. There shouldn't be a fee anymore if you're just testing on a device.
And your app data will not be affected by the update (unless you make a change to your app). I have done this (hit 30 day limit and then sent update) before without any problems.