What is the Apple App Store Volume Purchasing program and how does it work

To be released soon in  the US is the App Store's volume purchasing program and businesses. With this program businesses in the US will be able to purchase Apps from the App store in bulk to distribute easily across their organization. The bulk purchasing program will also come with discounts enabling organizations to save money on their purchases. Available for all iPhone and iPad users and with the number of organizations providing their employees with iPhone and iPads this comes as no surprise that Apple is now attracting businesses and doing more to attract business customers. 

Volume purchasing of Apps

Businesses can with the volume purchase program easily search for Apps, determine the quantity needed and easily complete the purchase with a corporate credit card or procurement card. To start off businesses need to first enroll in the program and create a volume purchasing account. Once created a business can then login and start purchasing Apps. Only paid Apps are available for download and not free apps. Free apps can be downloaded easily from the App store directly. 

What is needed for the enrollment in the VPP 

A Dun and Bradstreet (D-U-N-S) number would need to be provided for your company

Your contact information including business phone number and email ID

A valid business address for your company

A valid business address which must match your D&B database of your company.

Purchasing

Login

Search for Apps

Define the quantity

Complete transaction using your corporate credit card or Pcard.

Once purchased you can then distribute Apps easily across your company by sending user codes to chosen employees either via email or distribution using the company website (Intranet).

Purchase custom B2B Apps for business

Connect with the developer

Provide developer with your email address

Developer sets the price (minimum $9.99 for custom B2B Apps)

Purchase the customized app through the program

Distribute Apps to all users. 

Source: Apple

An original post by

Sociolatte

Apple launches try before you buy section in the App store

Apple has launched a new section in their App store called "Try Before You Buy". This section features popular Apps that are "free" or "lite". many of the lite versions will still need to be paid for once you decide to buy the App. Many users found it difficult to decide if they really needed an App without actually trying it out. Since the section features many free and lite version of Apps, it will provide a hassle free way of trying out new Apps.


This action is a clear step taken by Apple to fight against pirated Apps which are easily available on jailbroken iPhones, iPod Touch and the iPad. So this will b,e try before you buy and there is no need of pirating and sneakily getting Apps, when you can try the real thing for free.  Uses can sample Apps and not be bothered about pirated versions of the same which has already cost the App store half a billion dollars. 


You can find this new section under the “Free on the App Store” heading. The section currently holds 98 apps, including the “lite” renditions games such as Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown, Metal Gear Solid Touch and Labyrinth 2, free adaptations of apps such as Moodagent and AccuTerra.


Currently there are 98 Apps and we hope all the Apps land in this section. Once you try the Lite version of an App, you would still need to pay for the full version if you decide to purchase it. 

What do you think?

An original post by

Sociolatte

Flashlight App secretly allows iPhone tethering

Handy-Light is a new Flashlight App available for the iPhone. In actuality it isn't a Flashlight App but an App that secretly allows you to connect you laptop to your phone to access your phone's wireless connection. Internet services providers would charge a fee for this but with this App in the US, AT&T would get nothing. This App has tricked it's way past the Apple App Store Reviewers and has made it into iTunes. 


To enable Tethering though you need to configure the the wireless network to your Mac. Tweak a few settings and your in. Detailed instructions on how to enable tethering are found here. There is also a video on YouTube explaining the process of tethering without a  jailbreak or paying a fee. 


The only question that remains to be answered is how soon will Apple pull the Handy Light App from the App store. 

An original post by

Sociolatte