We are an independent third party software developer. Our software is currently approved by Apple, and available for download from AppStore. Now we have a potential customer who has Good Dynamics setup (http://www.good.com) (with Good Wrapper, Control, Proxy servers etc.), and we're trying to figure out how our IPA can be made consumable with their Good Wrapper server. Reading the Good Dynamics' Guide to Application Wrapping, it's a little confusing. It states that we "need a ready-to-wrap iOS app (.ipa) build for enterprise or ad hoc distribution. Ready-to-wrap means a working iOS app with a valid signing certificate.".
There are two possible interpretations of this description:
1) We (the independent third party software developer) create a certificate for this potential customer, create an ad hoc provisioning profile with this certificate, create an IPA, and give them this certificate and this IPA. They can feed these to their Good Wrapper server, which will wrap the application.
2) They (the potential customer with a Good Dynamics setup) need to have an Enterprise distribution account (to enable them to distribute applications within their enterprise employees). They need to have a certificate and provisioning profile for this enterprise distribution account. They will provide us with this certificate and profile, and we will compile and create an IPA with this provisioning profile. This IPA will then be handed over to them, and can be fed to their Good Wrapper server.
Which one of the above flows is correct?
Thanks & regards,
The second flow is the correct one. Application wrapping is mostly intended for in-house developers. Just be aware that your particular scenario, where the customer provides you with their certificate, might not be Apple approved.
Related
I've been developing a Swift app for a while now on my own individual developer account linked to my longstanding everyday AppleId - so the AppleId also has all my bought music, apps, appleTV and other content etc etc. As I have developed the app I have realised that it has considerable commercial potential, and so would rather release it under an organization (a private limited company) than under my own individual name.
The app itself is relatively straightforward, it is self-contained other than having a single non-consumable in app purchase. I have not yet uploaded the app to AppStoreConnect, although I have set up the app name and the in app purchase on AppStoreConnect for testing purposes. I would like to release in the quickest way possible now. Using XCode 14.
What is the quickest, most straightforward and trouble-free way to achieve my goal? Should I:
Release it under my own individual developer account and then ask apple to change my individual account to an organization account? Are there any complications with this given that this dev account is attached to my personal AppleId? How long does it usually take Apple to achieve the change? Does the App remain on sale throughout? Are there ever any problems or is there anything else I should be aware of?
OR
Set up a totally fresh AppleId and create a new developer account for the organization on this id? (I appreciate this will cost extra money but am willing to bear the cost). If I do this, how do I transfer the app from my individual account to the organization account? Do I have to go through the Apple 'transfer an app' process? Are there any pitfalls with this? When the transfer is complete, how do I alter my XCode set up to continue working on the app under the new account? Also, as I have not yet submitted the app to AppStore (although I have set up the name / IAP ) can I simply use XCode to point the app at the new account and upload it to that instead without invoking the Apple 'transfer an app' process - how would I alter my set up on XCode to achieve this?
I am currently in the process of setting up the company, and should have necessary info eg DUNS no etc fairly shortly.
While I'm familiar with development itself and I've already released one paid app on the AppStore under my own individual account attached to my everyday AppleId, this seemed to be a relatively simple and automated procedure. My main difficulties with my current problem seem to stem from the fact that I have never worked as part of a swift development team, and I understand very little around the actual 'architecture' of app development, eg XCode signing / teams / bundle ids etc, and I'm really struggling to understand the technicalities of the connection between XCode / Developer Account / AppStore Connect / AppleID.
I've looked through other posts on this topic but most seem several years out of date, and I am aware that AppStore functionality in this area has changed over the years.
Any help would be greatly appreciated - particularly if you can recommend which route to go down and answer any of my specific points. I have tried asking Apple, but all I get back are standard replies directing me to their app transfer process - unfortunately though I'm something of a solo outfit and I really need the benefit of people's experience here, as I need this process to go quickly and smoothly!
Cheers!
I have developed an application and want to publish to the microsoft store. I have tried using advanced installer but unless I pay $500 I cannot publish it i think using the trial version? I have also tried using MSIX Package (Windows) but then I need to digitally sign it, and then I can't add logos and etc. I also do not know how to get a certificate and convert it to .pfx format for this to work.
Honestly, this process has just made me want to stop, which is unfortunate. So I am trying to find a service or someone that I can pay to package my .exe app to an MSIX, signed and everything so that I can just upload it to the store on my account..but I cannot find anything on google.
Does anyone know of a service, or even a better application that has better guides for MSIX packaging and signing? Advanced Installer is pretty extensive, but their guides are based on MSI, not MSIX. Not worth paying $500 for when they are not even current with Microsoft Stores required format.
FYI - to get a useful answer around here it helps if you place specific questions (i.e. split your question into multiple ones, like: Do I need to digitally sign an application for the MS Store?; how do I add logos...?)
Back to your problem. I work on the Advanced Installer and I will try to give you some advice to help clear a part of your problems.
First of all, to publish an application in the Microsoft Store you don't need a certificate. As explained in our guide, in your Store developer account you will find a package identity assigned to your application, here is an example:
The value that starts with CN=... must be copied and pasted into your Advanced Installer project, on the Package Information page, under the ID field. Make sure Digital Signing is disabled in your project. (You need to digitally sign the MSIX only when you deploy it outside the MS Store)
This identity will allow the MS team to certify you as the owner of the application. Once Microsoft approves your application submission, the MSIX package you upload will be signed with a Microsoft digital certificate. All MSIX packages uploaded in the store are signed by Microsoft.
I don't know how complex your application is, but most apps can be packaged with the free Advanced Installer Express edition. Have you tried that? The commercial editions include additional features, but you might not need them.
MSIX Hero is pretty great and is open source. Assuming your application is just a directory of files containing one or more EXEs just click "pack directory to MSIX"
Then select the folder containing your application files and the EXEs you want to create shortcuts for in the start menu. It will pull a lot of the package metadata from the metadata in the EXEs.
If you are publishing to the Windows store you don't need to sign the package.
If you do want to sign it for distribution outside the store the options for that are pretty easy to use as well. The only issue is you will need a code signing certificate, which is ~$300 a year.
I couldn't find this information on any official documentation or blog articles.
I work for a consultant company that create application for other companies, so keep in mind that I never develop apps for my company, but for those who's contracting us.
The first thing is the certificate.
Does the company that's contracting the consultant company that needs to create a certificate, export it (as p12 file) and send it to the other company that's development the application? Is this the right way?
If so, if the same company is contracting a second (third, fourth) consultant company, should they share the same certificated that was sent to the first consultant company with the others or they should create a new certificate for each one?
The provisionng profiles
I'm automating the build/release pipelines. So, for development environment, I have a provisioning profile to build the app for a specific set of devices.
On the release pipeline, I have to reassing the with a different provisioning profile. Can it be reassinged with the same certificate only changing the provisioning profile or do I need to have a different certicate?
Thanks
I recently uploaded my first iPhone app to the App Store, and i'm thinking of creating a new app. I am wondering what new things I will need to create for it to be submitted. Examples: Bundle ID's, Certificates, or Provisioning Profiles, etc. Thanks!
You'll need everything you needed for the first app, except that your distribution certificate is a personal identity and lives in your keychain and at the Portal, so you only need one of those (until it expires, when you'll need to make a new one).
It might help if I make you a little chart here.
YOU: There is only one of you, so you only need one development certificate and one distribution certificate.
APP: Each app has its own bundle id and you'll need to tell that Portal what that is if you want to submit it to the store or hand it out in an ad hoc distribution.
PROFILE: A profile unites YOU and one APP. Thus it is unique to that APP and you'll need a new one for every APP you want to distribute. -- EXCEPTION: For convenience, Apple now allows you to develop many kinds of app on a device using a single team development profile where the APP is effectively a wild card. This was not always the case though; it used to be that you needed a new development profile for every app too, just as you need a new distribution profile for every app. And for apps with special needs you may still need a development profile just for that app.
My company needs to upload an app to the store , that will only be available to 80 people over the world that will get the permission to test it.
The ad-hoc method requires their iphones id's to be register with the app, and obviously we dont have it.
Whats the best way, to upload the app to the store ,to let this people to get it ?
(NO, without just go to the review process of apple)
thanks.
Besides the enterprise developer program, Ad-Hoc distribution is the only way to limit your audience.
If you try to game the app store with an unreasonable high price and promo codes (limit of 50 codes per app version) Apple will kick you out of the review process in no time.
Use testflight to get device IDs easier and deploy you app to the testers.
There is no way to do that, for the Adhoc, you must register their UDID devices.
You can upload the app in the AppStore, put it's price high, and give the prople that you want to test the app a redeem code that will download the app free, but i think the number of redeem code you have is 25. If you find anyway to do that, share it with us please.
If the 80 people that will be testing/using the app are employees of the company, you should look into the Enterprise Developer Program. Enterprise development lets you deploy an internal app to employees of your organization that is not released to the App Store. It essentially lets you build an Ad Hoc like version of your app that can then be installed on devices without the need to get UDIDs.
The cost is $299 instead of the normal $99 and there are a few caveats on whether or not your organization qualifies. But if you do qualify, it vastly simplifies deploying an internal app and it gives you specifically what you were asking for - no review and no need to ask for UDIDs. You can put the signed bundle up on a website and simply give people the URL to it for OTA installation, so you don't even need iTunes.
Alternatively, if the end users are not a part of your organization, you can also look into developing Custom B2B Apps. This one comes with a few more hoops to jump through and it also requires an Apple review, but it allows your app to be sold only to specific customers and doesn't put it in the App Store. If you're already a developer with Apple, there's even a WWDC video on it.