Configurator - Apple ID Not Authorized

Hi everyone,

At the moment I am in the middle of an iPhone Deployment project and got my attention drawn to the iPhone Configuration Utility and the Apple Configurator.

I talked to an Apple technical representative and he warned me that deploying free app's either through the iPhone or Apple configurator always has the Apple ID of the user who downloaded it hardwired into the ipa file.

So if you deploy the app to a device you could get into trouble if you want individual users to be able to install app updates. The app update will not recognize the current apple id associated and ask for credentials.

Could anyone elaborate on this? Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

Bart

Yes. Apple's deployment system doesn't work for a lot of types of deployment. I've given up on imagining iPads for single users for everything but getting past the initial setup. I skip the iTunes account creation and let the user do that when they first turn it on and but something.

For apps, I use Meraki as a tracking, inventory and management solution. I can send down apps to download and it requests an iTunes login to purchase them. It's built into the Meraki MDM to require apps if you choose to force that. Otherwise, just send out VPP codes (which you can do in Meraki as well, I think).

Configuration is really only good for skipping initial iPad setups in large batches of deployments and installing Apple profiles made in iPhone Config. Meraki is free. You can go to their website and watch videos about deployments and sign up for webinars on iOS usage.

Make sure that you "Authorize" your computer, which is connected to apple configurator and the ipad/iphone

Itunes > Store > Authorize this computer.

+ An Apple ID can have 5 different computers.

if by anychance you are using one out of that range, The

Itunes > Store > Un Authorize (An older computer)

Hope this helps.

Dear BastianG, Your advice is correct, but in the first post the author noted that he had completed your advice before you offered it. BastianG, that's user error.

This bug is still very much alive and has nothing to do with user error.

I'd love if an Apple Staff person could help out here. This bug is easy to reproduce.

We have a macbook with 10.7 and configurator, all setup and working most days of the year. We get this bug when i put checkmarks next to 4 or more large paid apps then hit apply in configurator. When I put checkboxes next to each paid app, just one at a time, then hit apply, no "authorzed" error.

steps:

- setup a mac laptop/desktop with configurator, get 40 free apps and one paid app with the VPP codes imported, authorize the computer in itunes and all that stuff in the manuals.

- prepare an ipad, then supverise it, and under the apps tab put checks next to all your 41 apps. Then hit apply, the result works.

- now buy 4 more paid apps that are large, like 500mb, we use: flow of history, keynote, imovie, and appwriter - these are big apps, click checkboxes next to all 45 apps

result: error triangle icon in yellow, not authorized

expected: ding sound done, green light!

Please fix this bug. It was horrible until I found the workaround. But for new schools trying to push out big paid apps this will leave them non functional, and spending lots of hours on support calls with people who can't use advanced search tools to find this.

Peace out.

Hi, If you do have an issue with VVP codes directly email vpp@apple.com,

I am sure they will be able to help you. (I dont see why not, cos they helped me out)

+ If you ask them to send the VPP in a excel spreadsheet, then they do that too.

Important:

You have to email (VVP Team) them using the apple ID, you used to purchased these apps,

They they can track and will produce you with the new codes.

All the best,
Hope this helps.

We're using meraki as well on campus, but not yet for the ipad management. We DON'T put the iTunes store on the ipads - much less distraction for the kids [middle school], so pushing out apps isn't possible [with IOS 6, anyway. IOS7, though..........rumor has it]

The bigger issue is that if you push out paid apps and vpp codes, you can't retrieve the codes and put them back into stock like you can with Configurator. For us that meant sticking with Configurator for now to push out apps, since I need to re-use the 6th grade apps codes for NEXT years 6th graders [the ipads stay with the student.]

IOS7 may change all that, according to Meraki a few weeks ago. We're waiting........[aren't we all!]

Yes, currently the only way to currently pull back VPP codes is with supervised devices via Apple Configurator. That being said, there are some unsupported workarounds that can "technically" make this possible wirelessly with an MDM. But as you've suggested, iOS 7 may offer more enterprise friendly features. We will soon see!