Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au> writes:
Am a bit confused here - does this mean it is not possible to distribute iOS apps outside Apple's market? Some people have said yes, others have said no.
You may be getting inconsistent answers because the question is vague. What do you mean by “possible”? Is it possible to distribute iOS apps outside Apple's store? Of course; the internet can carry any stream of bits to any device. But if you mean something other than “possible”, the answer will be different. The only way, TTBOMK, that Apple will distribute a program through its store is under a Developer Program License Agreement. One of the terms of that agreement is: Applications developed under this Agreement can be distributed in two ways: (1) through the App Store, if selected by Apple, and (2) on a limited basis for use on Registered Devices (as defined below). […] “Registered Devices” means iPhone or iPod touch devices owned or controlled by You, or owned by individuals who are affiliated with You, that You have specificallt registered with Apple under this Program. <URL:https://www.eff.org/files/20100302_iphone_dev_agr.pdf> Hence, as a condition of distributing through the Apple store at all, the above agreement requires the distribution be exclusively through that store (with a limited exception for “Registered Devices”: the developer's machine and various other machines for developing the work, each one of which must be approved and registered with Apple). So, distributing a program under the above agreement would make it a violation of the agreement to distribute the program in any other way. -- \ “Religious faith is the one species of human ignorance that | `\ will not admit of even the *possibility* of correction.” —Sam | _o__) Harris, _The End of Faith_, 2004 | Ben Finney