Ridiculous!!! We need a MAC to use Application Loader to upload our apps to the AppStore??

[anthoang]

Apparently, Apple has recently changed their appstore upload procedures and now require developers to use their Application Loader software to upload the binary files to appstore - which is only available on a MAC.  is there any way a Windows developer and upload an app using a PC?

[Colin Holgate · Accepted solution]

The change was over ten months ago. Prior to that the first part of the review process would involve checking for incorrect use of private API calls, and so on. Now the Application Loader does a good amount of verifying of the app, and can tell you what's wrong with it, which has to be better than you waiting a couple of weeks to only find that you had something wrong in the file.

Some people are using VM setups on WIndows to run OSX, just to run Application Uploader. See pages like this one:

http://lifehacker.com/5583650/run-mac-os-x-in-virtualbox-on-windows

Or, check amongst all of your colleagues and family, there is a chance that someone within not too bad commuting distance from you uses a Mac.

Another option would be to spend $700 to get one of these:

http://www.apple.com/macmini/

That may seem like a small fortune, but you could easily spend more than that you to get a decent Android tablet to test on.

[josholm]

Next to the correct things from Colin it makes sense, because it is usual that you develop on a mac for iOS devices. So it nothing big against someone, because when working with the normal iOS - xCode environment you will already have a mac. At least that is what Apple is officially thinking. So why should they provide a version for that upload tool to a different os, when their development tools are for mac only.

[eddierocksrtw]

Adobe should be more up front about this issue for Windows or Non Mac users.

Luckily I found out about this before becoming an Apple Dev or Upgrading to CS5.5 and forking out all that money only to find I couldn't do the final step....

Though was still annoyed at spending hours reading up about Flash / IOS development when a line on the Adobe site or help would potentially have saved a lot of time.

Eddie

[Colin Holgate]

You wouldn't consider finding a solution, either a friend with a Mac, or a VM one, or buy the cheapest one on Ebay you can find? Then you could go on to make millions of dollars with your hit game "Angry Geeks".

[eddierocksrtw]

You also need friends with a 3GS, a 4, an ipad/2 etc   (oh and fax machine as that's what Apple needs for sending  dev approval  info to...)

Along with the hope that the Adobe Flash to IOS code will run as well as the code does on Android....

And then still be rejected by the Apple approval process or find the rules change again....

Time / money / possible return - the usual issues.

Sadly too much hassle for now

Eddie

[Colin Holgate]

I guess the first challenge will be finding a friend!

By the way, these are other neat tools for developing iOS apps without having to learn Objective C:

Unity: http://unity3d.com/

LiveCode: http://www.runrev.com/

GameSalad: http://gamesalad.com/

Corona: http://www.anscamobile.com/corona/

Titanium: http://www.appcelerator.com/

Alas, I believe all of them require a Mac to develop on for making iOS apps, and also still would need a Mac to do the actual upload at the end.

[appbeginer]

Exactly. No matter how a framework boasts of the multi-platform features, in the end you still need a MAC to upload. That's a pity. We should be warned first.

[anthoang]

I was able to get my free android app (done with Flash CS5) into the Android Market in about 2 days.  And most of that time spent was on creating the icons.

my rant:

Now it has already taken me two weeks to get my free iphone app (same android app) into the App Store... with all the certificates, the p12 files, getting the device ids, the inability to login to itunesconnect, the recompile with the distribution certificates.  and now I'm stuck because I don't have a MAC to upload the app... and even after that, i have to pray that someone at Apple will see the app and approve it.

Apple could have kept the uploading process in the browser with the Application Loader as an option.  but instead, I have no option but to find a friend who has a MAC.  and this is going to be a challenge because most of my friends are technically advanced.  

[zwetan_uk]

Welcome to the reality of app development for cross-platform.

In general you will need the hardware related to which platform you are targeting, sometimes it can work with emulators and/or VM, but sometimes it doesn't and you do need the "real" hardware.

Every app store on different platforms have different rules.

If you were on a Mac and wanted to publish a desktop app for Windows you would need a Windows machine too,

and if you wanted to sign the app with a code signing certificate a VM may not be enough as nowadays you need to
enter a PIN code on a USB card reader (a kind of hardware dongle) to sign Windows apps and so you would need "real" hardware to do just that.

A hackintosh is a good solution (I use one as main comp) but it will need some personal time to setup something like that,

so now your choice is either trade time to get a mac "on the cheap" with a hackintosh, or trade money eg. invest in a mac mini to save time.

I'm not saying it is ideal, but those are classic problems when you do app development for different platforms.

[FingersCrossed]

Bummer! I was hoping this wasn't the case - it isn't exactly clear from the outset (unlike apps like Corona which make it pretty explicit). I'd been getting pretty excited about porting my Playbook Apps to iOS, but am now working out whats best to do. Probably buy a Mac Mini - not too keen on the VM hack or begging time off my Mac fanboy friends (after teasing them for years for over spending on mediocre kit) ... yikes ! Big spanner in my works ....

[anthoang]

Yeah, getting a Mac Mini might be your best option if you already have a monitor and keyboard.  a macbook is a little bit more costly.  just make sure you have iOS version 10.5.5 (Leopard/Snow Leopard) on whichever Mac you buy.

i hate Apple.

[appbeginer]

I can understand your feeling. Probably i have to go through all of these unfavorable situations when i am going to upload ios apps...

And no choice, a Mac Mini seems the only feasible solution.

[emmanuelt43102108]

To Upload your Binary to iTunes without Mac: http://application-loader.com

[rewb0rn]

Too fishy...

[initcode]

Another solution is called 'Hackintosh'

It might take more than one installation till you have it, but as soon as you do it, you can have a VERY FAST Mac, depends on your hardware!

Ofcourse you can have a dual boot into Mac OS X and Windows without effecting each other....

Just Google it and you'll find more info!

[Guest]

We developed a cloud service which can be used to upload your application to the App Store: https://www.wenz.io/ApplicationLoader .Current our service in the beta and can be used for free.

(I'm the creator of the site)

Best regards,

Steffen

[Matt_Floz]

Is this process of using App Loader safe, because surely if you use someone elses details they can get your app?