Here’s a classic iOS story for you (but follow closely, because it can get a little convoluted at times — but not really):
Developer X wants to send Thomas a beta version of an upcoming app. Thomas sends his Unique Device Identifier (UDID) to the dev, and they’ll send or link him to a .zip file that includes the actual iPhone app and a provisioning file, which will allow him to install said app. Thomas adds both of these files to his iTunes library, attaches his iPhone to his Mac, and then initiates a sync to transfer the beta over to his device.
Fun stuff because it’s a way for Thomas to get his hands on new software, but also a bit of a PITA because frequent betas require frequently syncing and dragging files into iTunes.
But hold on, here’s another, more recent story for you:
Developer X wants to send Thomas a beta. Thomas gets a TestFlight invite link an e-mail and clicks on it to create a TestFlight account. He then submits his UDID to TestFlight and installs the beta over-the-air, having used only his iPhone.
I’ve been using TestFlightApp for a bit of beta testing over the last couple of weeks, and it has been simply magical. It’s free for developers and testers, updates apps over-the-air, and even shows changelogs for each version number (as long as the developer has submitted them, of course).
I can only hope that more and more devs pile onto TestFlight, because I’d love for pure magic to become the norm.
Continue reading:
- Everything New Apple Just Announced (Septembe
- Apple Watch Pre-Order
- Apple Research Kit launches with 5 Apps
- Apple TV now only $69
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