How do I develop a simple iOS/Android app and let people sideload it?

[Captain Matt]

Hi all,

 

I have a friend who has a low-volume, audio info product he wants to distribute with an app. Distributing the audio files via CD is too old fashioned.

 

Goals:

• One-click solution for getting all the files on their device. For example: The user receives a confirmation email with a link to allow them to download the app. They click the link and the app installs on their device as downloaded from Amazon S3 or Drive or Dropbox or whatever.
   
• Protect the files (remote streaming in-app would accomplish this, but it's fine if they're built it)
   
• Built in timer they can use to say "okay I'm going to practice this 5 minutes today" and it runs in the background.
   
• Continues playing sound with screen off
   
• Avoid paying the fee for a develop licence if possible. We want to app to be privately listed. When the user pays for the companion book, the app is given to them for free.

 

 

Questions:

• What platform would you recommend to accomplish this?
  (I'm looking at Mobincube and Buildfire. Free is best. Android and iOS compatibility preferred but not required since I can use MIT App Inventor.)
   
• Side loading on Android is easy. How do you sideload on iOS?

[Sauron]

I'm not sure you can do this on iOS, apps don't have direct access to the system storage and can only save things in their sandbox - and to sideload apps on iOS you need to jailbreak the phone, which you can't really as your customers to do.

 

As for what tool to use, if you know java you should use android studio; otherwise one of the ones you mentioned should be fine.

[Bananasplit_00]

well with android you can just have an .apk file and anyone can install it. with IOS you used to be able to install stuff but via shit like setting your date to 1975 or whatever also havent touched it since IOS 8 so im not quite sure

[Swealteek]

1 hour ago, Captain Matt said:

 

I think you can better build a website with JS. If its for personal use. you just go to the link and boom done  and its free and you can get startert (if your new) here https://w3schools.com

45 minutes ago, Sauron said:

I'm not sure you can do this on iOS, apps don't have direct access to the system storage and can only save things in their sandbox - and to sideload apps on iOS you need to jailbreak the phone, which you can't really as your customers to do.

 

As for what tool to use, if you know java you should use android studio; otherwise one of the ones you mentioned should be fine.

And the reson apple is so surcere compert to Windows and Andriod. So the sad answer is no  

 

 

[Sauron]

1 minute ago, Swealteek said:

 

And the reson apple is so surcere compert to Windows and Andriod.

Yeah, no... android has sandboxing too but it doesn't deny you access to storage. The truth is Apple thinks it knows better than their users.

[Swealteek]

Just now, Sauron said:

Yeah, no... android has sandboxing too but it doesn't deny you access to storage. The truth is Apple thinks it knows better than their users.

Realy ? because i ask one of my cheaters and the that "yes but its wee more open than see apples version, it only needs promison". 

 

Ill shal be correctet

[FlappyBoobs]

As far as I know you can only "sideload" unsigned apps using Xcode to install it to the phone, i.e. You need to connect the device to a mac and then "install" it to the phone from the source code, which is now one of your, I think, 100 dev phones allowed under this method. If you pay the $99 for a dev license you don't have to release it via the app store. Your users can just enable "install from non store locations" and load the app like you would on android. Because your app is still signed it will install no problem. 

 

Apple also have non profit and educational licenses available for cheaper (sometimes free) so you may qualify for that. It's worth giving them a call (actually better to request a call back from them via their site, so they pay, not you) because surprisingly apple dev support is really helpful.