Best distribution channel

Question

p1erre OP

Created Jun ’15

Replies 5

Boosts 0

Views 1.7k

Participants 1

Hi

I am a bit confused how to distribute a business app with the following scenario:

- Company A has developed the App (Company A is registered with the non enterprise Apple Developer Program)

- Client A (a business company) has paid Company A for the app developement and now wants to distribute the app to its own clients which consists of a mix of personal and professional iPhone users.

The App is free and cannot be on the public AppStore. Also the App ownership needs to be transfered to Client A as final users cannot see Company A being the development company so it is not confusing for them.

So my question, how do you streamline all this? Which channel should I use? And how to distribute it properly knowing the mix user base.

Many thanks in advance.

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Answer 1

KMT OP

Jun ’15

>The App is free and cannot be on the public AppStore

>wants to distribute the app to its own clients which consists of a mix of personal and professional iPhone users.

Distribution can only occur two ways (three, but testing doesn't apply here). App Store or Enterprise. Neither of those exactly fit the above, I think.

It might be easier for A to act as consultant to B (A makes the app and helps B get it in the store under their own acct.), and for B to sell to qualified users via VPP/B2B (which effectively hides the app in the store from the general public), but that has certain conditions that might rule out certain end users.

See Choosing an iOS Developer Program / Which Developer Program is for you?

B2B https://developer.apple.com/appstore/resources/volume/index.html

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Answer 2

p1erre OP

Jun ’15

Thank you for your reply.

It wouldn't be a problem to act as a consultant for the client helping them to distribute the app. However the problem seems to be at the bottom of the chain reaching non-business users. If I understand correctly, VPP can only be distributed to individual employees of the company issuing the App.

In my case, the end users will be a mix of business and non business users.

In summary, non-business users can only use the public AppStore or alternative but non viable solutions (eg. ad-hoc installs)

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Answer 3

KMT OP

Jun ’15

>In my case, the end users will be a mix of business and non business users.

That seems a muddied statement in this context. Let me try to explain why...

A 'business user' is typically defined as an employee/agent of a company, where an Enterprise account is in use.
'Non-business users' are just users, and buy/download apps from the App Store where an Individual/Company account would be in use.

Those would then become employees/agents and users.

So did you intend to state that a mix of account types would apply, or did you conflate the two user types and Enterprise isn't in play in your statement? Just trying to make sure we're on the same page 🙂

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Answer 4

p1erre OP

Jun ’15

Ok, if you want to speak semantic, I meant by:

Business users = users within a company using either an Enterprise or VPP solution
Non Business users = users going to the general public AppStore. They can be business minded though 😉

So in summary:

Company A to Employee/agent : OK
Company A to Non business users : Not OK unless distributed through general AppStore but in this case, it is important the app is not public.

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Answer 5

KMT OP

Jun ’15

>Ok, if you want to speak semantic

Apple's terms/definitions, not mine. I just happen to think they're important to avoid misunderstanding.

>So in summary

Company A
Company A

So if you're Company A, what happened to the client, company B? Because if Company A distributes to it's employees, that is an Enterprise Account.

If Company A sells via VPP (app in store but hidden to the public) to Company B so it can distribute redeem codes to it's employees, Company B and it's employees are all store users.

What did I miss?

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