The Apple Enterprise Developer account is a developer’s favorite as it allows for private, unlimited corporate app distribution, but it might soon be over.
When you sign up for an Enterprise Developer account with Apple, you are offered with a great power: unlimited distribution, outside the app store, for any of your corporate apps.
This means freedom to deploy to an unlimited number of devices, with no Apple app review required.
However, Apple’s terms specifically mention that even though you have these powers, you also have responsibilities. For instance, using an in-house certificate to sign your apps requires only distributing to your own employees.
Not your customers, not your partners and certainly not the general public.
Even though you agree with Apple’s terms, there is no technical limitation to do just the opposite. But if you dare to get around Apple’s terms, you can get in trouble, even if you’re a big name such as Facebook or Google.
You shouldn’t risk it. Anyway, you might not be in a position to risk it any longer.
Apple has been pushing since 2019’s WWDC for its new B2B software child, Apple Business Manager. It is a web-based app which allows basic mobility management, including apps.
Apple is strongly advising businesses requesting new Enterprise Developer accounts to use Apple Business Manager instead of their Enterprise Developer account.
We recently received numerous reports from customers telling us the approval process had completely stalled.
If you already own a membership to the Enterprise program, you should not worry.
Even though WWDC 21 is right around the corner, Apple hasn’t announced end of life yet.
However if you are just getting started with iOS app distribution and need to deploy your app privately, outside Apple’s app store, you’re out of luck.
Apple Business Manager is what appears to be the future of private distribution on iOS device.
If you don’t exactly know how it performs watch this video below, and watch out for new articles on this blog!