How to continue using TestFlight functionality without waiting for App Review

Question

TestFlight is closing due to Apple acquisition and I'm in the process of transferring my beta test groups to iTunes Connect.

I used to upload my new nightly build using the desktop app, select (all) the users, and hit Next, that was it. Dead simple.

I've followed instructions at http://help.testflightapp.com/customer/portal/articles/1800072 and I've imported my contacts to iTC. Now, I want to submit my build, but I'm being told that I need to wait for App Review, which seems ridiculous for testing. I've searched and seen that I can add up to 25 "internal" testers that wouldn't require App Review to access the beta app. 25 users is enough for me, however, as far as I see, it requires me to grant these people access to my apps as it clearly states in the Prerelease/Internal Testers tab of my app:

Internal testers can be added in Users and Roles.

Internal testers are iTunes Connect users with the Admin or Technical role.

I don't want to grant them Admin or Technical role, I just want them to be able to test my nightly builds. It was the case with TestFlightApp. Bottomline: Is there a way to submit builds in realtime and let people test it without granting them access to my iTC apps and without waiting for any kind of App Review, just as in TestFlightApp which is being closed? If not possible, are there any alternatives?

Answer 1

From what I've seen, only your initial release to external testers is submitted for review. Once it's been reviewed any subsequent uploads shouldn't need to be reviewed. I can't be 100% sure about that though, maybe someone can confirm?

Personally though, I've moved over to use Crashlytics (Now Fabric). It make out to be 'Invite Only' but if you sign up with your email they usually get back to you within a few hours. I actually prefer it to TestFlight and it add's some really neat error catching as part of the same SDK, I'd recommend it.

There are a few other alternatives I've been looking at. HockeyApp, TestFairy and others. But Crashlytics looks to be the best FREE alternative out there.

Hope that helps. Dave.

Answer 2

Not sure, if this workaround will work for your need and honestly its not the cleanest one. But it did for me, Without going to Ridiculous TestFlight review process.

Ideally, in itunes connect, under User/Roles Area, you should create internal users with technical roles assign to them, and share that apple ID for testing with real persons, may be your QA person, working in different country. In this case, there is no waiting time required and you can share build instantaneously, since internal testers do not required TestFlight Review 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 to share one time credentials of the "Apple ID of any internal tester aka users who have technical roles assign to them" and who have access to that latest build. Then the person in different country, he/she can sign in with these credentials of apple Id by going to Settings> Itunes & App Store and by signing off his existing apple id on that phone.

After this, basically his phone, will have access to all the latest build in TestFlight App for that Apple ID of internal tester and then after installing the app built that person want, he/she can sign off from that apple ID going back to original Apple ID under Settings itunes & apps store settings, and keep this newly installed app built on this phone.

If you concerned about sharing apple id credentials (password, email) of internal tester with this person, then you can temporary update them and then after following this process (huge pain in neck process) revert them.

Again, not the cleanest way, but help me to share my latest built with QA person remotely. Hope other stack flow users have better options.