List of all apps installed on iOS device and their position on the Home Screen (Springboard)

Question

I've been searching several days for a descent answer on how to acquire the list of installed applications on a device running iOS > 5.0 (com.apple.mobile.installation.plist).

I've tried codes from different sources and the only almost successful solution I got was with shared URL scheme approach using Daniel Amitay API (http://www.ihasapp.com) - thumbs up for it - great job!

But with the URL scheme I wasn't able to get all installed apps on the device cause not all of them have shared URL scheme.

The devices I am working with are not jailbroken so accessing /private/var/mobile/Library/Caches/com.apple.mobile.installation.plist from within the app is forbidden due to app sandboxing. So the examplea given in Is it possible to retrieve these information? and Finding list of installed apps on iphone work only on simulator or jailbroken device.

My question: "Is there any way to present to the user iTunes(AppStore) login screen from within the app and after he/she enters his/hers credentials to be able to request the list of purchased (downloaded) applications from the iTunes(AppStore)?"

I am trying to make an app that shows all installed apps and their position on the Home Screen (Springboard) like iTunes does when you browse your device.

The necessity of having such app is when you have 400-500 installed applications on a device and you've grouped them in folders it is quite frustrating to find each one of them when you decide to uninstall it from the device.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance.

Noellenoellyn

Answer 1

Theoretically you could but that is accessing private ivar which is strictly prohibited by Apple.

Janaye

Could you state which ivar we would have to access? e.g. when we don't want to publish the app on the App Store? – Derek

Answer 2

I don't know if Apple will ever authorised it. Honestly I don't think so. But for technical fun, if you want to do that, check how Airwatch or other MDM solution work, they can show all the apps installed.

Have fun !

Carnahan

Answer 3

You can take a look into iTUnes Search API

http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources/documentation/itunes-store-web-service-search-api.html

Leelah