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Comment by novum | Hacker News Reader

Bummer...but also exciting, since Adhoc/Beta distributions and access could be massively improved by being handled first-party by Apple. Maybe now it will be!

I've long been using TF for adhoc beta distributions of my iOS apps. Looks like there are only two options left for that:

    * Hockeyapp, starting at $10/month
    * Host your own IPA on S3 or elsewhere.

The downside with the latter is where TF added value: per-build access settings, notifications, teams, and feedback. You'll have to approximate this now by mucking with which devices are listed in your provisioning profile.

I open-sourced my iOS build script recently. It'll take care of everything for you -- downloads your provisioning profile from Apple's dev center, builds, codesigns, archives, and uploads to S3. https://github.com/splinesoft/SSBuild

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Apple could massively improve Adhoc and Beta distributions any time they wanted to. They didn't need Burstly or TestFlight for this. In other words, get ready to move off of TF and onto another platform.

Shameless but relevant plug, I run a free API service to distribute apps via a short url.

If anyone is interested, you can check it out at http://ota.io

Checkout Vessel.io, Offers Beta Distribution + A/B testing for mobile apps

Very same like Test Flight Docs here http://docs.vessel.io/jenkins-plugin/

1. Free Beta distribution for Android + iOS 3. Jenkin Plugin too.

Do check out my service AppBlade https://appblade.com, convenient timing that I was about to come out with some competitive pricing for ad-hoc developers.

We're also releasing an open-source tool that uses GitHub releases as a store, gonna release it soon https://github.com/AppBlade/TestHub

This looks really neat. Thanks!

I wish I could self-host this on my own server. I also wish it did not rely on Github as I also self-host my own repos.

AppBlade itself doesn't rely on GitHub, only our open-source TestHub tool does.

We also do on-prem; though it tends to be more of an enterprise thing.

Also check out our service DeployGate, which was focused on Android but just have started a new Beta with iOS support this week. If you join for our beta program now, you are eligible to keep everything free, forever. :)

https://deplyogate.com/beta_program

https://deploygate.com/beta_program

sorry, there was typo in URL :p

Co-founder of vessel.io - We have Android and iOS beta distribution service for free. Happy to help you setup your account.

Sounds neat! But I must be missing this free service on your pricing page? It seems to start at $150/month: https://www.vessel.io/pricing/

I'm not seeing anything lower than $150/mo either. I think the "free" service he's referring to is just the 30 day trial.

Beta distribution is a free service - For A/B testing, we have those price plans. Updating pricing page to reflect the same.

Thanks. I signed up for an account, but everything I'm seeing is about A/B testing, in which I am not interested.

Mega points to you for having a Jenkins plugin. Awesome!

Is your framework required for beta distribution? Your docs are inconclusive on this point.

If the framework is required, would you consider adding a Cocoapods podspec for it?

You don't need to integrate the framework if you just want to distribute beta builds. Check the Beta Deploy section on the site. We are also working on adding cocopods.

Not seeing where the beta distribution page is on the site - just info about A/B testing everywhere. Look forward to learning more though!

There's a third option: Continue to use TestFlight. There's no indication that they are going away.

They already have gone away for Android. On iOS, it looks like they won't allow new apps to be created but existing apps may continue to upload new builds.

I don't see how TF removing Android support has anything to do with them going away. I just this moment created a new TF app for iOS and got a new app token/etc. Where are you seeing this "won't allow new apps to be created"?

Hard to say. Sounds like you have until 2/26, at which point something(?) happens: http://help.testflightapp.com/customer/portal/articles/14527...

It says on that page what happens; they'll stop accepting builds with old SDKs, or if you haven't used the SDK before. It doesn't say at all that they will be closing their service, or not accepting builds at all. Just looks like they are deprecating their SDK.

Incorporating the SDK has always been optional.

Removing Android makes it nearly worthless for me. Also Apple doesn't have a good track record when it buys companies. The same thing happened with Logic - they immediately dropped Windows. Its rude and anti-competitive.

we built our own. and was really worth the effort. happy not to depend on anyone for this :)

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