Workaround lets iPhone users share apps
updated 05:55 pm EDT, Wed July 23, 2008
Workaround lets iPhone use
Developer Melvin Rivera has posted a workaround for sharing iPhone apps on his All Forces blog. The simple workaround takes advantage of Apple's Fairplay, which allows users to sync up to five computers with each iTunes account, along with unlimited iPhones and iPods. Although the process is initially time consuming -- and maybe a bit confusing -- it's simply a matter of syncing an iPhone with a computer that is registered to use both iTunes accounts.
Rivera says the idea was born of frustration when he couldn't share iPhone apps with his wife because they have separate iTunes accounts -- or so he thought. Rivera claims the workaround allows a perfectly legal exchange of apps between two iPhones. He says it should work on Windows machines, although he hasn't tried it.
Rivera posted step-by-step instructions on his blog, showing how he successfully shared apps between two first-generation iPhones upgraded to version 2.0. Theoretically, the process should work just as easily with the iPhone 3G and iPod touch.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2008
Is there a better way?
Maybe I'm missing something, but why not just go to ~/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications on the first computer and copy the applications to the second computer?
As long as you log in with the correct iTunes account info into iTunes running on the second computer, you should be able to copy the applications to the additional iPhone.