building and installing ipad/iphone app privately (dev license question)

Question

I am creating an iPad app. I do not yet have the $99 dev license but I understand I will need this to actually put my app on the device rather than just the sim. I want to install the app on a bunch of devices but I do not want to put it in the app store or go through the approval process(which I am assuming is in order to submit for the app store). It is for private use only.

I have been hearing things like it still has to be approved to run.. Is this true? I was hoping I could just import my license into xcode, build the app out, and install it through iTunes straight away.

Answer 1

You can use ad-hoc distribution to put the application on up to 100 devices.

Answer 2

It depends on exactly what you are trying to do. There are 3 ways you can distribute apps:

1. Through the app store, which require approval
2. Using ad hoc distribution. This requires you to get the device UDID of every device you want to install onto, and is limited to 100 devices. Additionally, every user must install a cert file (which you will need to update as you add devices). That does not require approval, you just give people the app and the cert
3. For $299 you can get an enterprise developer account. That allows you to distribute to an arbitrary number of devices within a single business, just like an ad hoc app (no approval process). There are some additional legal restrictions, and you need to show proof that you are a company of several hundred people, so that might not be reasonable depending on your needs.

Answer 3

Once you enroll in the iPhone Developer program ($99 / yr.), you can use ad-hoc distribution to install your application on up to 100 devices.

If you need more than 100, you can enroll in the Enterprise program ($299 / yr.)