How to continue using TestFlight functions without waiting for the application to be viewed

Question

TestFlight closes due to the acquisition of Apple, and I am in the process of transferring my beta test groups to iTunes Connect.

I used to download my new nightly build using a desktop application, select (all) users and click Next, that's all. Dead is simple.

I followed the instructions at http://help.testflightapp.com/customer/portal/articles/1800072 and imported my contacts into iTC. Now I want to introduce my assembly, but they tell me that I need to wait for the App Review, which seems ridiculous for testing. I searched and saw that I can add up to 25 "internal" testers that do not require App Review access to the beta application. 25 users are enough for me, however, as far as I know, I need to give these people access to my applications, since it clearly states on the Preerelease / Internal Testers tab of my application:

Internal testers can be added to Users and Roles.

Internal testers are iTunes Connect users with an administrator or technical role.

I don’t want to give them an admin or technical role, I just want them to be able to test my nightly builds. This was the case with TestFlightApp. Bottomline: Is there a way to send the assembly in real time and let people test it without giving them access to my iTC applications and not expecting any application review, like in TestFlightApp, which is closing? If this is not possible, are there any alternatives?

Answer 1

From what I saw, for your viewing only your initial release is presented to external testers. After its review, any subsequent downloads should not be reviewed. I can’t be 100% sure of this, maybe someone can confirm it?

Personally, however, I switched to using Crashlytics (Now Fabric). It is conceived as “Invite Only,” but if you sign up with email, they usually return to you within a few hours. I actually prefer its TestFlight, and it adds some really neat bug as part of the same SDK, I would recommend it.

There are several other alternatives that I have looked at. HockeyApp, TestFairy and others. But Crashlytics looks like the best FREE alternative.

Hope this helps. Dave

Answer 2

Not sure if this workaround will work for your needs and, frankly, this is not the cleanest. But that was for me, without going into the “Bold TestFlight Validation Process”.

Ideally, in itunes connect, in the User / Roles Area section, you should create internal users with their assigned technical roles and share this Apple ID for testing with real people, maybe your QA character working in different countries. In this case, no latency is required, and you can share the assembly instantly, since internal testers do not require the TestFlight validation process.

But let's say, if you can’t even create new internal testers on itunes connect, which was my situation, then what a person can do is share one-time Apple ID credentials of any internal tester, or users who assign them technical roles ", and who has access to this latest build. Then, a person in another country, he / she can log in with these Apple Id credentials by going to" Settings ">" iTunes "and" App Store ", and by canceling your existing Apple icon on this phone.

After that, basically his phone will have access to the entire latest version in TestFlight App for this Apple ID of the internal tester, and then after installing the application created by this person, he can sign up with this apple ID, return to the original Apple ID in the itunes settings and apps and save this newly installed app built on this phone.

If you are interested in exchanging credential identifiers (password, email) for an internal user with this person, you can temporarily update them, and then after completing this process (huge pain in the neck process), return them.

Again, not the cleanest way, but help me share my last person built with QA remotely. The hope of other users of the stack flow has better options.