Volume Purchase App Assignments
App distribution with Jamf Now is a simple process when you integrate with Apple's volume purchasing. Volume purchasing provides the best way for organizations to centrally purchase and deploy apps. When you purchase apps for managed distribution, your organization can assign apps to an employee's Apple ID or device while retaining ownership of the app. Jamf Now requires the use of volume purchasing to deploy paid iPad or iPhone apps, or any Mac or Apple TV apps.
For iPad or iPhone with iOS 12.3.x or earlier, users must delete built-in versions of the following apps on their devices before Jamf Now can manage the apps. After deletion, deploy apps using volume licenses via Jamf Now. Affected apps include: Pages, Keynote, Numbers, Garageband, iMovie, Clips, iTunes U, and Apple Store.
Devices that are open enrolled will prompt users to permit the installation of every new app that Jamf Now sends commands to install. It does not matter which app assignment type is selected. Device users of open enrolled devices must then approve each app in order for the app to be installed the first time.
Device-Based App Assignment
Jamf Now allows you to distribute apps directly to devices for managed distribution. When managed distribution is device-based, user registration with volume purchasing is not required and users do not need to provide an Apple ID. Apps distributed directly to devices do not appear in the user's own App Store purchase history and cannot be updated by users.
- General Requirements
iOS 9 or later
macOS 10.11 or later
tvOS 9 or later
- Advantages
Straightforward deployment process (no invitation or Apple ID sign-in required)
Automatic app updates are managed by Jamf Now
- Disadvantages
Requires an app license for each device, even for one person with multiple devices
Apps assigned directly to a device will not be included in an iCloud or iTunes backup
If you assign an app to a specific device, the assigned app is not included in backups of that device
Apple ID-Based App Assignment
Jamf Now allows you to distribute apps to users with managed distribution. When managed distribution is Apple ID-based (user-based), it involves user registration and user assignments.
To accept Apple ID-assigned apps on Apple TV, users must associate their Apple ID with volume purchasing on another device using their same Apple ID (for example, an iPad).
- Advantages
Employees with multiple devices do not need multiple app licenses
Apps assigned to a user's Apple ID will appear in the Apple ID purchase history
Apps will automatically update with the Automatic App Updates device setting enabled
Apps are included in device backups along with the user's local documents and settings stored on that device
- Disadvantages
The user requires an Apple ID, and the owner of the Apple ID keeps the app
An administrator has to invite the user to accept the app
Changing the License Assignment Type for an App
Jamf Now allows you to distribute apps directly to devices or to users for managed distribution. You must select either device-based or Apple ID-based app assignment (also known as user-based app assignment). By default, new Jamf Now accounts are set to device-based app assignment.