iOS App Distribution: Investigate alternatives to paid Apple Developer account

[jeremymanning]

Problem

Building and distributing the iOS app requires code signing, which has these challenges:

• Free Apple ID signing: Apps expire after 7 days, requiring re-installation
• Paid Apple Developer Program: $99/year subscription
• Sideloading (AltStore): Requires manual Xcode setup for IPA export, auto-refreshes every 7 days

Current Status

• Android APK builds and runs correctly
• iOS simulator builds work
• iOS device builds require signing configuration

Options to Investigate

1. AltStore distribution: Create IPA, users sideload via AltStore
2. TestFlight: Requires paid account but gives 90-day builds
3. TrollStore: Only works on specific iOS versions (14.0-16.6.1, 17.0)
4. Paid Developer Account: Best UX but $99/year cost

Tasks

• Document IPA export process for AltStore
• Evaluate if TrollStore is viable for target users
• Consider if $99/year is justified for App Store distribution
• Add iOS download instructions to about page once resolved

Related

This was deferred to focus on Android release first (v1.0.0).