Apple devices, like the iPhone, iPad, and iTouch have an Unique Device Identifier (UDID), which is a sequence of 40 letters and numbers specific to the device. The UDID works like a serial number, a very difficult to guess serial number.
Apple uses the UDID to ensure that only Apple approved programs can be installed on their devices. The applications in the App Store have been approved by Apple for general distribution. But, beta customers of the App Store can get to try applications prior to being approved for general distribution. Off-Site Services can register your device's UDID with Apple so that you can become a beta customer, allowing you to access an application prior to it becoming available for general distribution.
You can find out your Apple device's UDID and provide it to Off-Site Services in two ways. The first method involves copy and pasting it from iTunes.
To find your devices UDID via iTunes:
- Launch iTunes
- Connect your device (iPhone/iPad/iTouch)
- Click on device when it appears in the left pane
- Click on the summary tab. This tab shows information on the name, capacity, software version, serial number, ect. of the device connected.
- Click on serial number to reveal the UDID
- Copy the UDID to your clipboard by opening the Edit menu in the top left of the iTunes window and selecting copy from the menu
- Paste the UDID into an email to Off-Site Services
You can also send your UDID in an email to Off-Site Services through a free app.
To send your UDID to Off-Site Services via a free app:
- Install the app: Ad Hoc Helper
- The app will create an email containing your UDID
- Send the email to Off-Site Services
By providing your UDID to Off-Site Services you will be one step closer to publishing your next iOS app to Apple's App Store.