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Sharing iPad app

kitkay

iPF Noob
In my office, i have 4 people with an iPad including me, all of us use our own laptops and our own iTunes account.

I have purchased an app on my laptop using my iTunes which i would like to install on the other 3 ipads. How can i do this without over writing any apps on:
1. My iTunes
2. On the other iPads.

Thanks.
 
You can purchase three more copies of the app for the other iPads. Any other approach has a term that applies. It's called theft.
 
You can purchase three more copies of the app for the other iPads. Any other approach has a term that applies. It's called theft.

My understanding is, Apple allows you to install (share) apps on 5 machines?

I think you may be confusing the "home sharing" features of iTunes that enable you to share a music/media library with several machines with sharing apps on multiple devices. Apologies for my initial harsh response but even the "home sharing" feature of iTunes is not meant to enable you to buy one copy of a song and then "install it" on others' computers/tablets. It's designed to enable those who share a home network to play music/video on multiple devices on that network.

For example, my wife and I use a single iTunes account. She downloads some music to her computer. I download some music to mine. Via "home sharing" I am able to access both her music library and mine and download both to the iPad. None of this works with apps.
 
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If this is the case then of course, i would buy a copy for each user.

Just spoke to 2 different Apply support members and both said this can be done and not breaking any rules, both gave me differernt ways of doing it but never said it was a problem.

1st member said for me to log on to these other ipad as me and Transfer the app, this will transfer everything, then go back in as the other user and delete all the transferred app except the one needed.

2nd member said connect the other iPad to my PC, authorised and transfer app.

Anyway seems a bit too confusing, may just get each user to buy it themselves. (JSH, no worris, just saw your post after i submitted this one, may be your right).
 
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Sorry for all the confusion, KitKay. Don't feel bad, the intricacies of synching with iTunes is very, very confusing for anything other than the simplest situation.

Although you may find a way to get around the safeguards Apple has built in by signing in additional iPads into your iTunes account, I would not recommend it. You (or your co-workers) will run into problems as you continue to use your individual iPads without going through an incredibly complicated procedure to assure you (or they) don't lose data and/or apps in the future as they add/delete more applications.

Furthermore, keep in mind that apps maintain their own private data on the iPad. Thus, if you have, say, Pages on two iPads with different documents, you run the risk of overwriting one iPad's documents with those from another iPad.

All in all, it's just not worth the hassle.

I might suggest one approach that may be helpful to you or others. Most Apple Stores have a "small business specialist" whose job is to work with businesses who have several iPads (usually five or fewer.) They can arrange group purchases of apps and provide support specifically tailored to situations like yours. If you can't find such a specialist in a local Apple Store ask if they can give you a support number to call. You may be able to save some money on group purchases and resolve some of the issues of synchronization and information sharing you face.
 

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