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I would like to distribute an HTML5 app as a web clip using the itms-services:// protocol. So far I've seen you can distribute a .ipa application "in-house", using itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=[your_plist_file], but this seems only valid for "normal" apps, not web clips.

My idea is let users self-install the app just clicking in a link and not having to use the "Add to Home Screen" option within Safari. They login into a private website, and they fetch the web clip with a single click (with a customized URL)

I've searched for working examples of a .plist file that installs a web clip, but none worked. I know you could use iPhone Configuration Utility to generate a setup profile, and I could clone this functionality creating a profile on-the-fly for each customer, but I'm looking for a itms-services:// based solution.

Thanks!!!

Chris R.
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1 Answers1

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Try using the iPhone Configuration Utility on Apple's website. It lets you create configuration profiles that include web clips. All you have to do is link to your finished profile, and have the user download it. Alternatively, you could use a website such as OpenAppMarket, which would open up your web app to lots of people, but be far less elegant. The iPhone Configuration Utility is your best bet.

EDIT: itms-services is only used to install in-house apps, apps you need to test, or enterprise apps. In other words, you can only use it to install a .ipa package. So using itms-services would not work out for you UNLESS you use a tool such as phonegap to create a webview application that "shows" your website. You'd compile, and then use the default "setup" for itms-services (plist file, itms-services link, ipa file, etc.).

Hopefully I'm not stepping over the "boundaries" here, but can I ask you why exactly you want itms-services instead of a mobile profile?

user1522362
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