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If you think the Apple dance is bad for getting an app on your own phone, try distributing for beta testing!

People have written Apps to help you work around how difficult it is (eg TestFlight), but even then your beta testers have to download & sign up for some random 3rd party app, then request your app just to be able to test it. Compare that to Android: enable 3rd party apps via the settings menu, then email them the app.

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You should still be using something like TestFlight. Emailing builds arounds is nice but reaches critical levels of headache after the 5th or so beta.

They've now made is possible to do "over the air" distribution, whereby you put up your .ipa file on your website and email your users a link. They can then go to this link on their iPhone or iPad and it will install from your site.

There's instructions on how to do this at: http://nachbaur.com/blog/building-ios-apps-for-over-the-air-...

Although it saves you from having to email large files, you do still need to collect your users' UDIDs and add them to your provisioning profile (embedded in the app).

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