According to what has emerged in the past few hours, Apple has finally decided to support the so-called “Unlisted app“: To communicate it was the same company through a press release dedicated to developers. Thanks to this new function, developers will be able to publish on theApp Store applications not intended for public use, and therefore impossible to download for normal users, but intended for specific users.
Apple supports unlisted apps
Generally, apps not listed are used by developers as a function of specific events, such as congresses and conferences, but they can also be tailor-made for a particular employee agency. In short, these are software dedicated to a use mainly limited to a specific reality and which can be very useful for improving internal organizations.
Here is what Apple writes in the release to developers, specifying that the App not listed are intended for: “specific organizations, special events or research studies or apps used as resources for employees or sales tools”. The new feature is currently available only on request and Apple has reserved the right to refuse any type of application not yet ready to go to market.
When a request for this kind of app is approved, of course the application distribution method will change to App not listed and will be added to the App Store normally. It is very interesting that developers should also be able to move existing apps on Apple’s online store to “unlisted”.
At the moment it is not clear if and how the app review process will change, given that Apple has not shared any information in this regard, but given the precedents it is likely that it will be a rather stringent process.