Is the app store actually a must?

Target Platforms Mobile
1

hello Forum,
is it actually a must to distribute Iphone applications on the app store? Or can i offer them also on my own website as (free) download? Or are we for whatever understandable reason not supposed to do so?
But if it is ok, how does it work, what is needed to do so? or where can find further readings about it?

i copied an application via ‘build and run’ in Unity Iphone on my Ipod. But it doesn’t show up anywhere in my Itunes on my Ipod (only as runable application on the actual Ipod itself).

Unity created an folder called ‘Unity Player’ in my project folder. What is it for?

(so far i just use an unique appID for my test application (without asterix) and didn’t went through the Distribution tab or Connect on the Apple Developer Portal)

Maybe all these questions answer them self if i’d just knew where to search and find the right infos.

2

Check Apple’s documentation on this as it should be quite clear. There are two options:

  1. You create and publish/distribute builds via the AppStore.

  2. You create and manually distribute AdHoc builds.

In the case of AdHoc builds you must create special builds that work on specific devices only (people must send you their long unique ID number for their iPhone/iPod touch), and you can only do a limited number of these (I think that it’s capped at 100).

Ultimately yes, the AppStore is the way to mass distribute applications, Apple doesn’t yet allow general distribution outside of that.

3

Ah ok, makes sense.
thanks for so fast reply :slight_smile: