iOS Enterprise Apps: How to roll out updates?

Question

If all the members of an organisation are issued with an iOS (iPhone and iPad) app binary which is signed under the Apple Enterprise Deployment scheme for ad-hoc deployment, how are updates managed? Must the users manually be sent an updated binary / be manually prompted (email etc) to download an updated binary ? Or is there a native mechanism to check if the remote .ipa has been updated, and prompt the user to update?

Many thanks

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 04 '12 at 09:50

1

There is no native method, you will have to either inform the users of an update or build you own check in the app.

HockeyKit might be able to help you, although is ment for ad-hoc builds you might be able use it for enterprise app.

answered Dec 04 '12 at 09:50

rckoenes

69,092
8
134
166

1

The answer here has an example to build your own update check http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13711103/how-to-update-ios6-enterprise-apps-over-the-air – Anton Smith Feb 21 '13 at 00:16

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 20 '13 at 15:16

1

Another possibility is to use testflightapp.com. I manage an internal app that way. When you upload a new version all users registered will get an email and they can upgrade directly from the email (if it's on the device) or using the test flight web app.

edited Dec 20 '13 at 15:16

Skyjob

29
5

answered Dec 04 '12 at 14:12

ahwulf

2,584
15
29

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Dec 20 '13 at 15:13

The Mobile App Management solution called Apperian EASE (Enterprise App Services Environment) is set up to do this. There are two ways in which the app can be updated:

(1) A native "App Catalog" runs on the user device. When updates are made, the administrator can decide if they want updates to be mandatory (immediate), optional, or be installed at a particular date/time. When the app update is required, the "App Catalog" will show a push notification badge.

(2) There is an EASE SDK in which the app can check with the server to see if a newer version is available. If it is, then another call allows the app to be "self updated".

In either case above, the updates are done via over-the-air (OTA) method, which does not require MDM.

Another alternative approach (other than DIY) is to use an MDM solution, but then all the users must be enrolled in MDM to receive the app updates.

iOS Enterprise Apps: How to roll out updates?

3 Answers3