IOS – When using a redeemed code through Volume Purchase, who owns the copy of a B2B app, ultimately

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I've been looking into various distribution options for enterprise-y iOS apps and one question I can't figure out remains: if my client does a volume purchase and chooses to use redeem codes to hand out to the end users, is it still the case that ownership of the app ends up at the end user's Apple ID? Are there any mechanisms (short of MDM) that allow the purchasing client to retain ownership?

Best Answer

Here is the relevant excerpt of the iTunes Store Terms and Conditions:

https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/volume/us/terms.html#VOLUME

CONTENT CODES

[...] YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE OWNER OF THE REDEEMING ITUNES ACCOUNT WILL BECOME (i) FOR AN APP STORE PRODUCT, THE LICENSEE OF THAT COPY OF THE PRODUCT; AND (ii) FOR AN IBOOKS STORE PRODUCT, THE OWNER OF THAT COPY OF THE PRODUCT, AND SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ALL ASSOCIATED RIGHTS. SUCH LICENSES OR PRODUCTS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

for short: only managed distribution retains ownership!

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