Can I develop my custom private Metro-style applications and deploy them directly to my customers, bypassing the market?
Will I be able to provide my customers with their custom-made applications in Metro-style?
For instance, in Android you can transfer an APK file.
On Technet there's an article on sideloading Metro style applications. Basically, the requirements are as follows:
The application must be cryptograhically signed.
The computer it will be installed to must trust the signing certificate.
The Allow all trusted applications to install group policy setting must be enabled.
To run the application the computer must be joined to a domain.
As long as your customers are in enterprise environment these requirements shouldn't be a problem. Outside enterprise environment you'll need to distibute your apps through the Windows store.
At least with the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 the sideloading also works on machines with a valid developer licence. I couldn't find any official info on that but this might stay the case with the final release as well for the purpose of testing the apps.
EDIT:
Some additional info has just been published. Key points:
Sideloading will be enabled in Windows 8 Enterprise Edition and Windows 8 Server editions. It is also currently enabled in both Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows Server 8 Beta.
In other editions of Windows 8 a special product key will need to be activated to enable sideloading. It might not be necessary for the computer to be joined to a domain in this case.
Sort of … not really.
Windows 8 Enterprise edition will have the ability to side-load Metro-style apps. The idea is that you can deploy an internal app to your enterprise. The implication is that non-enterprise editions that will come with your consumer/retail PC or tablet will likely not support side-loading of Metro-style apps.
See No escape from the store for the plebs!.
I don't see why not. I've played with the Visual Studio 11 beta on Windows 8, and one of the templates is for a Metro app. It was just a .NET executable. So, as long as you can deploy that to your machines just like you do today, there should be no problem.
Related
Is it possible to deploy to a windows 8.1 phone without having a developers licence?
I am trying to build and demo a proof of concept, so buying a licence at this time is not really wanted or required. I have looked through various sites and the Microsoft sites but cannot find a way of deploying the app without a licence.
I would be happy to use the emulator in visual studio but my computer only has 4gb so that is not an option. If I need a licence are there any other temporary options open to me? or are my only options up the RAM or get a licence
No, you need a license to 'side load' the application to test devices.
I have a windows store app for Windows 8.1 - it's a specific app that is supposed to run only at one device. I deliver it to client via AppDevPackage and it's installed / updated via Power Shell script.
The app works fine when developer license is valid on the device but this license shouldn't be used in production enviroment. Also there is need to renew this license occasionaly (that's very inconvinient).
I know that's obsolete technology, but my question is, what should I do to get rid of the need of having developer license at this device (and to keep posibility of publishing the app via AppDevPackage)?
Please help ;)
I have developed a windows phone 8 application. I have a developer account and unlocked device. Now I'm able to deploy/install the application in my phone through windows phone development sdk.
Now I want to install this application in another device ( a device of my friend, who is in different location). I don't want to put this application in the app store. I want to mail the XAP file only to him. So is there any other way to install this (XAP file) application in his mobile.
I am looking forward your responses.
Thanks.
Answer 1:
Your friend has to unlock his device with a developer account in order to install it. Can use the "Application Deployment Tool" to install the XAP.
(This goes well only if your friend is a developer)
Answer 2: (Easiest way for your friend to install)
You can release a beta in the store, and include the Microsoft ID of your friend as a beta tester. And after releasing the app, you can email the link to your friend. Beta release is fast and it usually goes live within 1 hour.
You could use the "Targeted distribution to customers with specified email addresses".
That means that you will publish the app on the store, but it will only be available for the users that you want.
Is there a way to install signed applications over the air on the windows 8 and windows phone 8 platforms?
I'm looking for something similar to iOS wireless app distribution with its itms-services:// uri scheme. Basically, I want to direct users to a web page where they can download and install a signed application package on their device by clicking a link.
But it seems (from the information I gathered from the available documentation) that Microsoft allow app installation only by using the Windows Store, or by Sideloading (in the case of Windows RT, 8 Pro and 8 Entreprise) or by enrolling users phones for company app distribution (in the case of Windows Phone 8).
are these really the only methods available?
Thanks in advance.
For the Phone you could use the beta testing feature. It will not show in the store and only be available for users you have registered via their Microsoft account formerly Live ID. The app will run through certification and therefore will not be hosted on your own server.
For Windows 8.x you will still have to go the side loading route as there is currently no beta testing feature available.
HTH
I am planning to create a performance tune-up application for Windows 8 and would like to distribute it through the Windows Store.
Do Windows 8 applications (Metro apps) allows me to install a windows service onto the clients' system when he downloads my application through a Windows Store interface?
My idea was to have a service that does a constant tune-up and use Metro UI to control the service settings.
No, they do not allow you to install Services, unfortunately (well, kind-of fortunately, as that would be a large security risk). The Metro environment is a sandbox that allows data in and out only through specific guard systems and with specific, requested capabilities.
You may be able to have them install the service separately, but I'm not sure you'd be able to communicate with it or sell an app which does so on the store.
If you have your service hooked up to a WCF service or sending messages through Azure, then you could talk to it that way, but that'd be kind of roundabout.
Sorry I couldn't help you more, good luck.