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http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/07/23/beta.program.coming.soon/

Apple prepares iPhone Apps beta program

updated 01:05 pm EDT, Wed July 23, 2008

 

Beta program coming soon


Apple is preparing to offer a beta-testing program for iPhone applications in its App Store, according to an app developer. The beta program will allow developers to distribute beta versions of their iPhone Apps to registered iPhones for testing, according to TechCrunch. Currently, there is no easy way to put apps on an iPhone other than distribution on Apple's iPhone App Store. Developers have to put any fixes out for all to use. "The big problem here is that the only way to install software on an iPhone or iPod touch is with the App Store. There are also no provisions for beta testing," one developer on the Twitterific team said. "The only way to test a fix is to release the changes to tens of thousands of users. It’s the developer equivalent of playing Russian roulette."

The new beta program should be active in a few days, with Apple limiting beta tests to 100 testers for each app. Prospective beta testers will be required to give their iPhone serial numbers to the developer, who will pass the list on to Apple. The beta app can then be distributed though the App Store to the flagged phones without going live on the public store site.




by MacNN Staff

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 iPhone, developer, beta

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Comments

  1. apple4ever

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2001

    -8
    07/23, 01:48pm | report spam | (1 reply) Reply |

    Dumb

    So instead of just allowing open developer on the iPhone, which would bring about even more amazing apps because it would be much easy for both developers and Apple, we are going to have to give our SNs to developers and Apple so they can "approve" our iPhones. s**** that, I'll just jailbreak it- much easier (and more secure too).

    I predict that Apple will drop the AppStore-only exclusivity within a year as more and more developers complain.

  1. vinnieA2

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2005

    -6
    07/23, 02:03pm | report spam | (1 reply) Reply |

    already beta testing

    heh -- with several of the apps I've downloaded, I am pretty sure I'm a beta tester already.

    on the whole, the apps have been rather disappointing. Despite "how easy" iPhone SDK made the process for featured developers at the keynote, I get the feeling that a lot of apps were rushed to market. And aside from that, how many tip calculators, todo lists, and sudoku apps do we need. Like the song "57 channels and nothin on", we have 800 apps and only 3 good ones. No PDF reader which is searchable? No simple SQLite database? And let's not let apple off the hook -- no copy and paste is outrageous.

    I guess I expected too much... my bad.

  1. QualleyIV

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +4
    07/23, 03:57pm | report spam | Reply |

    re: Dumb

    @apple4ever

    I respect your opinion, but before you go calling something "dumb" you might want to consider some of the downsides to your suggestion. First and foremost, as a prior Treo user, I can unequivocally say that the biggest advantage of Apple's approach is avoiding a system whereby poorly written apps completely kill your phone. Maybe it's OK to have an application completely monopolize your iPod Touch, but I bought an iPHONE and iWant to use as a phone first and foremost. So far, it appears as if Apple has done a very good of ensuring this and I would give a lot of credit to the App store and Apple's development model.

    Second, if you think that jailbreaking your iPhone and installing 3rd party apps on it is more "secure", I'm sorry, but you're clearly not applying sound reasoning to this discussion.

    Finally, perhaps you should cite your source to all of the developers who are currently "complaining". By almost every account that I've read, the consensus among developers seems to be that the iPhone SDK is one of the most polished, capable SDKs every released (especially for a first version product). Not to mention that the AppStore pays a very competitive rate when compared to the other alternatives. Put those two factors together together and I fail to see the escalating complaints that you're predicting.

    @vinnieA2
    I don't know about "rather disappointing", but I do agree with your comment regarding the many duplicative applications out there. As for the remainder, as I've said before, remember, it is a phone. It's not supposed to be a mini-tablet computer. The reason that the iPhone has been so successful is due, in large part, to it's elegance. If Apple tried to make the iPhone do everything, it would be Windows Mobile. I don't think anyone wants that...

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