Ad hoc distribution to an external client?

Question

I have built an iOS app that is a custom business app for a small number of our external clients. It would be an add-on to other applications/services we are providing them. What is the best way to distribute this app?

Can we use ad-hoc distribution to distribute iOS apps to external clients? The 100 device limit is not a big issue in this case. This is a question of legality, not of whether it is technically possible.

The apple documentation that I have read has not been real clear on this point.

--Thanks for you help! Mike C.

Answer 1

If you are in the US you could investigate the Apple-hosted Custom B2B apps option for distribution through the App Store to businesses in the Volume Purchasing Programme (free to register for your customers).

The App Store Volume Purchase Program is also expanding to new countries soon according to it's web page (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the UK).

You might also want to view the WWDC 2012 video "Session 311 - Building and Distributing Custom B2B Apps for iOS"