Possible Duplicate:
iPhone app without AppStore
My boss had an idea to develop an application that would be used for a few hundred contractors/employees and deploy it on an iPhone. So basically an internal business application that is an extension of the home-office application for mobile workers.
I was under the impression that it is only possible to distribute applications (except in a testing mode that expires frequently) to an iPhone via the Apple Store, and that Apple will only accept applications that are for general use. Not something that only a few hundred people world wide could use (say the data would be restricted to credentials that would only be given to such people).
Is my impression correct, or does Apple allow that kind of development?
EDIT: OK, my impression is wrong, at least partially. But here the company does not have 500 employees. Is it then not possible?
I have developed an app for a client’s internal use and have had it distributed it on the App Store, using a standard developer account (the $99 one). You can find it here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evolve-2010/id348772647?mt=8
I was pretty surprised it was approved (I had the client prepping for a massive ad-hoc distribution). If you’re developing something requiring credentials, I’d provide a test user/pass to Apple when you submit.
So, good luck, and have a back up plan.