How can i deploy ipads with apps on them?

Question

Level 1

24 points

How can i deploy ipads with apps on them?

We have been giving our board members of our company ipad 3's with a free board portal app so they can log in and review our board documents during meetings.

The challenge with this is whenever the free app requires an update, they simply cannot update it. We have to visit all of these guys ipads and enter credentials for our generic IT account, despite forcibly logging this account out of the iTunes store in general setup.

There are now 2 new board members starting with us and we have iPads for them. Without making the same mistake as before, how can we get this app installed while allowing them to update it?

1. Its a FREE app (I can't stress that enough), so being free it shouldn't even need credentials as there are no charges to be made. It's not a purchase.

2. If the app is FREE and already installed, it shouldn't matter who updates it. In fact its already on there and costs nothing to update, it should just allow it to be updated.

Posted on Feb 18, 2013 9:51 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

rccharles

Level 6

12,957 points

Feb 18, 2013 11:07 AM in response to cypherx

Check out Meraki.

MDM -- moble device management

MDMs

Airwatch, Nukona, Meraki, mobleIron, OS X Server, or Zenprise

Nukona -- https://www.nukona.com/mobile-app-management-products/basic-edition/

Meraki -- A free MDM

http://www.meraki.com/products/systems-manager/

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4067210?tstart=0

Good howto by Sergio Sosa.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2594001?start=15&tstart=0

Apple overview of MDM

http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/

IT Resources -- ios & OS X -- This is a fantastic web page.

View documentation, video tutorials, and web pages to help IT professionals develop and deploy education solutions.

http://www.apple.com/education/resources/information-technology.html

business site is:

http://www.apple.com/lae/ipad/business/resources/

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Answer 2

iToaster

Level 3

739 points

Feb 20, 2013 6:32 AM in response to cypherx

Regardless of the app being paid or free an authorised iTunes account is required

However iOS 6 does away with having to enter iTunes account details to update apps

on the device

Open App Store on the device go to updates update apps

No passwords required (iOS 6)

Alternatively have the users create their own iTunes accounts and download the app

themselves

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Answer 3

cypherx Author

Level 1

24 points

Feb 21, 2013 1:44 PM in response to rccharles

Ok I created the Meraki setup, thanks for that advice.

I was able to publish 3 apps in there. The only thing is that the iPads will ask to install and if you click install it still requires an iTunes acct and password. I had to put our corporate acct in there just to get the apps installed and get into the one app I need to configure it.

Now if I go to Settings > iTunes & App stores > click on our corporate iTunes ID and "Sign Out"... what will happen if the app developer releases an update to one of the 3 apps I've installed? Will the end user be able to put in their own iTunes account (they will have created one by then hopefully)?

I just can't keep our corporate iTunes account signed in. What if they try to buy stuff and it will charge our corporate credit card!

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