I am working on building an application which needs to be distributed to users of different business organization.
So my question is Can I enroll for a iOS Enterprise Program and distribute application to these business users?
No, the enterprise Program only allows distribution among employees of the company.
As clearly state on the iOs Developer Enterprise Program website.
Distribute In-house Apps
Distribute proprietary, in-house iOS apps to your employees. You can also securely host and wirelessly distribute or update in-house
apps to employees, keeping them current anywhere, anytime.
But is will work, with the enterprise account you can install the application without register the UDID. But be aware that allow the app to be installed by none employees is against the license, which if Apple found out could they could retract to the license.
From what I understood from enterprise program, you can distribute applications only to employees of the company you enroll. So if the companies are different you can't, but if they are under the same umbrella you can do it.
Related
I have gone through this solution here. I am confused between B2B apps and enterprise apps. Does both are same? I am distributing my enterprise app using https(itms-services) link to other users.
So, how to do this with Apple Business manager? Does Apple Business manage has any store like AppStore where we have to upload the IPA file or anything else that I have to do?
Enterprise apps are signed using an enterprise program key and can be distributed directly to that enterprise's devices. There is no Apple review of enterprise apps.
B2B apps are submitted to App Store Connect using a corporate or company developer program membership. They are reviewed by Apple. They are ether made available for specific Apple IDs to "purchase" (they can be free, with payment made directly to the developer) using the Volume Purchase Program.
Apple Business Manager provides a portal where organisations can:
Perform Volume Purchase Program purchases (which may be regular App Store apps or B2B apps)
Enrol devices in the Apple Device Enrolment program to force association with an MDM "out of box".
Apple Business Manager is not involved in actually distributing apps.
An MDM can be used to distribute both Enterprise and B2B apps.
I understand that Apple consolidated some services and now calls this consolidation the these services the Apple Business Manager. There is also the Apple Enterprise Program.
Do you need to be part of the enterprise program to be part of the business program? Why would I choose one over the other?
Apple Business Manager is used by organisations to deploy Apple devices and obtain both App Store apps and B2B apps using the Volume Purchase Program:
Apple Business Manager is a simple, web-based portal for IT administrators to deploy iOS, macOS and tvOS devices all from one place. When used with your mobile device management (MDM) solution, you can configure device settings and buy and distribute apps and books.
The Enterprise Developer Program allows organisations to develop and distribute apps to their own devices without uploading them to the App Store and without going through Apple App Store review:
Distribute proprietary, in-house iOS, watchOS, and tvOS apps within your organization. Securely host and deploy apps to your employees' devices.
You do not need have an Apple Enterprise Developer Program membership to use Apple Business Manager.
In summary:
You would choose Apple Business Manager if you want to manage devices using the Device Enrolment Program and to obtain apps developed by others using VPP
You would choose the Enterprise Developer Program if you want to develop apps for in-house use that are not suitable for the App Store or should not be available on the App Store.
You would use one or the other or both depending on your needs.
Update
Apple now allows organisations to "sell" B2B apps to themselves; This means that in many cases a B2B app can be used in place of an Enterprise app. Enterprise apps require periodic refresh of their provisioning profiles and certificates and also need Internet access to verify their signatures. Unless you are creating an app that will not pass Apple review (e.g. private API use), Apple now recommends B2B apps over enterprise program apps.
In recent WWDC 2019, Apple has explained the process - https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2019/304/
Enterprise program is not required for business program. One can published in-house app to their employees either through enterprise program or (developer program + business program).
I was aware of the Enterprise iOS program where you effectively run a private app-store, but I only just heard about Volume Purchase Program and custom B2B apps.
For a software company seeking to create bespoke applications for customers' companies, what are the differences between using these two approaches?
Note: I'm not talking about developing apps for my own company in-house, or about offering volume purchasing options for apps I offer in the public app-store. Only about developing private apps for other companies.
The VPP doesn't have anything to do with developing applications, only buying them (from the App Store) and distributing those purchased apps within a company enrolled in VPP.
If you are talking about doing applications for others for use in an Enterprise setting, then you really don't need to join either of them. You just need to be a registered developer (single developer account) and then the organization that you would be developing applications for would need to be enrolled in an Enterprise account. You would get added as a team member on that team and be able to do the certificates and provisioning necessary to develop and deploy applications you write.
I am a single developer as well as a member of several other teams for companies I write applications for.
This same model also works for developing applications for App Store accounts.
EDIT:
Here is some additional information:
https://developer.apple.com/programs/volume/b2b/
(check out option 3)
http://mobiledan.net/2012/03/02/5-options-for-distributing-ios-apps-to-a-limited-audience-legally/
The B2B process is similar to the App Store process except that the App Store is private (the Apple Business Store) and as a developer, you get to choose what VPP customers can purchase the app. The approval process is the same as the iTunes App Store.
I'm development a app for iPad that will be used within the company only.
As the devices that will use the app will be more than 100, the company need to join iOS enterprise program.
How works the distribution for In-house distribution?
I need to register all the devices to generate one Certificate for the app? Or I can generate one Certificate and the app will work on every devices?
Apple need to approve the application for In-house distribution?
The company's objective for distribution will be deploy the application on their website so the employees can access the web site, login, and download the app for theirs devices. There is any roles from apple that does not approve this method? What is the best method for distribution In-house app?
Answers to your questions:
1)You don't need to register devices on provisioning portal for
"in-house" distribution. Apps built with these profiles can be
installed on any iOS device.
2)Enterprise apps don't undergo Apples's review process as they are
not meant to be distributed through the app-store. In fact Apple
doesn't have any role in enterprise app distribution cycle.
3)You can distribute app through any medium you want, within your
enterprise, OTA, Intranet or mail(I have seen distribution through all
these mediums in my enterprise).
However the license agreement says that you can't distribute enterprise apps to anyone outside your enterprise, not even your clients. You can demo the app to people who don't belong to you enterprise, but they should only be installed on devices owned by the enterprise or employees of the enterprise.
We want to develop apps for a variety of separate clients for use on their iPads/iPhones.
Right now we have a developer license and and provision UUIDs manually and distribute the app OTA via a web server.
This limits us to 100 devices per license and leaves us paying for upkeep of the license.
Some of our clients may also be interested in using an MDM software package.
What is the best way for us to provision and push apps to many clients and more that 100 devices? Would each client need to pay for their own enterprise license?
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks.
Would each client need to pay for
their own enterprise license?
It looks like it, according to the terms and conditions available here: http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/enterprise/
More specifically, from this page:
I am a developer who wants to create an in house app for my client.
Can I join the iOS Developer
Enterprise Program to do that?
The iOS Developer Enterprise Program should be used to develop and
distribute proprietary in-house
applications to your own employees
within your own company. As such, your
company would not qualify for direct
Program enrollment in this situation.
We would suggest that your client
apply for enrollment in the Program,
and, once enrolled in the Program,
your client may add the appropriate
developers from your company to their
iOS Development Team.