CNET said that Apple has “quietly” introduced a volume purchase programme for US businesses, enabling them to buy iOS applications in bulk, while also providing tools to distribute apps and track who has completed an installation. In addition, a promotional document from Apple said that the programme enables businesses to “work with third-party app developers and partners to buy custom B2B apps securely and privately.” Once registered in the programme, there is no limit on the number of apps which can be purchased, although the scheme will not support the mass-procurement of free apps by businesses: it said that these can be “downloaded directly by users via the App Store on their device or on a Mac or PC.”

Developers registered in the iOS Developer Program who have agreed to the latest Program License Agreement can submit apps for custom B2B distribution, if they have been selected as a partner by an Apple corporate customer. Apps are submitted via iTunes Connect, with the minimum price that can be set for a bespoke app being US$9.99. The commissioning company is then identified as the authorised purchaser, to enable the transaction to be completed. Apps submitted in this way are still subject to the standard iTunes review process, with the same guidelines applying as for mass-market submissions. It was suggested that businesses and developers may want to provide “generic test accounts or sanitised sample data” for use during the test process, to protect proprietary or sensitive data.

In order to participate in the scheme, corporates need to be listed in the Dun & Broadstreet directory. After registrations, businesses will need to create an Apple ID specifically for the volume purchase programme. Payments for apps can be made by credit card or via PayPal. Details of a company’s purchase history, including order date, order number, purchase price, and number of licenses (codes) procured, will be available via the programme website.