Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes under Mojave

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Level 1

24 points

Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes under Mojave

Hello,

When will I be able to push the Mojave to my users if we absolutely need to control the app deployment via iTunes?

Our apps are available to users on the LAN today, and users, as needed and approved, install the apps on their local iTunes and can install/re-install/update themselves from their iTunes, while on the road or in the office.

I don't see how we are supposed to deploy to roaming users if we upgrade to Mojave. But my users are asking for Mojave. So far the business team have not provided any acceptable alternatives. JAMF is great but it's not an acceptable alternative.

Please release 12.6.6 or similar with support of Mojave. We know the binary works in Mojave, the workaround to overwrite the binary shows the version works just fine. Has Apple went consumer only now?

thanks,

MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar (2018 or later)

Posted on Feb 17, 2019 7:23 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,239 points

Feb 17, 2019 7:37 PM in response to LBarouf

Mojave is not distributed through iTunes. It is distributed through the Mac App Store. Perhaps these links will help.

Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes - Apple Support

macOS Deployment Reference

Apple Deployment Programs- Upgrade account to access all programs

OS X- Creating a software deployment image with a recovery partition

Use MDM to manage Activation Lock and Lost Mode - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Feb 17, 2019 7:57 PM in response to LBarouf

I have no experience with Configurator. Both it, and the article about activation lock management, are about managing business environment phones under the newest OSX. Apple abandoned supporting apps through iTunes two years ago and for most people this (mostly) works. If you are in a corporate environment then you need to be concerned about users locking their devices to personal Apple IDs and if you are doing that then you presumably have an IT section who can use configurator. I know corporations can allow users to make personal use of iPhones but really they shouldn't be under today's situation with app management and the risk of having a phone become useless to the company upon employee termination.

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Answer 3

LBarouf Author

Level 1

24 points

Feb 17, 2019 7:46 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks for the reply Kappy. But the question is deploying iOS apps centrally, via Mac OS X iTunes for users on Mojave. See Limnos answer above, which is in the right direction, but unfortunately still does not address the requirement.

Outside of brining back 12.6.x supporting Mojave, I really don't see a way to do this with Apple's tools. Everything works fine on the other OS versions. I just can't allow upgrading, otherwise I loose this control and ability. Users who upgraded on their own had to roll back as our iOS app would not upgrade for these users as they can't side load the app anymore.

It's really a pain in the neck and can't figure out how to solve.

We can't be the only corporation wanting to do this. We have a mix of BYOD and corporate issued iOS devices. We force policies and use MDM, while allowing users to bring some of their own apps. I don't have the man power nor the ability to visit each computer as a large number of employees work remotely and are constantly roaming. The current model works fine for us and allows me to provide the tools and support they need.

It's "just" this business decision to push everything to the cloud and prevent local app management in 12.7 and later that breaks all this and prevents us from status quo.

Thanks for any suggestion, I can't pull my hair anymore, not much left.

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Answer 4

Feb 17, 2019 7:34 PM in response to LBarouf

Apple Configurator - Official Apple Support

Feb. 2019 Use MDM to manage Activation Lock and Lost Mode - "Learn how to manage Find My iPhone Activation Lock and Lost Mode on supervised devices with Mobile Device Management (MDM). This article is intended for system administrators at businesses and educational institutions."

https://support.apple.com/HT202804

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Answer 5

LBarouf Author

Level 1

24 points

Feb 17, 2019 7:36 PM in response to Limnos

Thanks Limnos.

Is the configurator really supposed to replace that feature? I want users to be able to add certain apps they get themselves, and side load them. Currently, an MDM policy does not allow App Store installs. I can't manager hundred of users' iTunes account, so I distribute our corporate apps from the LAN and allow certain personal apps to be installed using their own iTunes accounts. Currently, as I see it, configurator would not let me allow deployment of the apps for any users who have the file locally. I really want them to be able to download the apps locally, sideload them. I will be able to see all of the installed apps anyhow and enforce the policy for those who side load unapproved apps.

We really need them to be able to pull and install, rather than us push to them.

Makes sense?

Thanks for the suggestion.

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Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes under Mojave

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