Apple Configurator can be used without an Apple ID. However, an Apple ID is required to manage apps on a device and for purchasing Apple Configurator on the Mac App Store prior to using the tool. In this section, we will sign up for an Apple ID.
Before signing up for an Apple ID, you will need a functional e-mail address. Optionally, a valid credit card number enables you to purchase apps from the iOS App Store, if needed. Once all required apps have been purchased, you can remove the credit card information from the Apple ID if you wish.
The easiest way to create an Apple ID is to purchase an app. This turns out to be the only way to create an Apple ID without a credit card number, a must in many environments. To create an Apple ID with a credit card number is a similar process, but not required.
Note
It is worth noting that if you require an Apple ID without a credit card you must purchase a free app (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534).
For this demo we will be purchasing a free app (iBooks), so we can create an Apple ID without a credit card.
Open iTunes.
Click on the iTunes Store link in the iTunes sidebar.
On the iTunes Store screen, search for iBooks.
When prompted to sign in, click on the Create Apple ID button, shown in the following screenshot:
At the Welcome to the iTunes Store screen, click on the Continue button. You will then be prompted to accept the Apple Licensing Agreement. Here, check the I have read and agree to these terms and conditions checkbox (assuming of course that you agree to the terms) and then click on the Agree button.
At the Provide Apple ID Details screen, enter the appropriate information, which includes the following:
Email: A valid e-mail address that is unique for the Apple ID.
Password: The password used to authenticate the new account.
Verify Password: The password provided a second time so as to keep us from having typos in the Password field.
Security Info: Three questions and answers to be used for account recovery purposes.
Optional Rescue Email: A second e-mail address used to reset the account in case it is locked out.
Date of Birth: A date that should be at least 13 years before the date the account is being created (for example, the date a school was founded or the actual date a person was born).
Once the appropriate fields are filled out, click on the Continue button. At the Provide a Payment Method screen, click on None. Then provide a billing address and click on the Create Apple ID button at the bottom of the screen.
A verification e-mail is then sent to the e-mail address used. Click on the Verify Now link in that e-mail to complete the setup of the Apple ID. On the Apple ID site, simply enter the username and password for the newly created Apple ID to complete the setup.
You now have a functional Apple ID. This ID can be used to access a variety of services from Apple. The most important of these services for this book is to access the Mac App Store and the iOS App Store and associate apps with VPP codes, which we'll cover later in this book.
An Apple ID can be used for way more than just purchasing VPP codes and downloading free apps. Apple IDs are the gateway to most Apple services, providing access to iCloud, logging into the Apple forums, information about certifications, gaining access to the developer portal, and more. For more information on Apple IDs, check out http://www.apple.com/support/appleid.
As many environments need to create Apple IDs in bulk, it is important to note that creating more than five from a given IP address in a short period of time will set off alarms within Apple's fraud alert system. Therefore, before creating Apple IDs in bulk, make sure to update your Apple Systems Engineer that you will be doing so. This will allow Apple to whitelist you so you do not run into issues creating multiple IDs.
You can also find scripted solutions at Enterprise iOS (http://enterpriseios.com/wiki/Batch_Apple_ID_Creator).
When using a shared account, one of the last things you want is for users to actually buy media with that shared account. It's simple to remove a credit card from the account by following these simple steps:
Open iTunes.
Click on the Apple ID in the upper right-hand corner of the screen (the e-mail address the account was registered with, usually) and select Account from the drop-down list, as seen in the following screenshot:
Once the account page loads, click on Edit beside the payment type.
On the Edit Payment Information screen, click on None.
Then click on Done.
Now there will not be a payment funding source attached to the account any longer. This can cause a few minor issues with deployments, but turns out way better than having tons of unauthorized purchases under the account.
It is usually best to start using Apple Configurator on a new user account. By utilizing a new account, you start with a fresh iTunes library. However if you are utilizing a user account that is already in use, you can easily find which Apple ID was used to purchase/download the app. If there are apps in iTunes, click on them and choose Get Info from the iTunes File menu to see the modification date, purchase date, purchased by, and account name (Apple ID) of each app. Keep in mind that when apps are installed by Apple Configurator, the Apple ID shown in the Get Info menu for the app is the Apple ID used whenever users go to update the app from the App Store when updates are available. Without that password, users will be unable to update apps on their devices.