Apple Cracks Down On Sites Selling Access To iOS Betas

Developers who register with Apple can get an account that allows individual developers to access the beta versions of new iOS software. Typically, this is done to allow the developers to test out new versions of iOS and ensure the applications they're developing work with the new operating system before it launches. To register a developer account with Apple costs $99 per year and allows the developer to register 100 devices using the UDID of individual iPhones.

While most developers use their 100-device allocation for legitimate development needs some smaller companies are actually selling access to iOS betas using the Apple development program. Apple has vowed to crack down on websites selling access to beta versions of its software. According to reports, these rogue developers pay Apple $99 and generally allow beta iOS access to other users for around $10 each.

One website that does this is called UDID Activation, and the service claims it has activated over 2300 devices in the last week at $8.99 each for about $20,600 in revenue. That is big money indeed and the company claims they've activated over 19,000 devices so far. Mac Stories reports that it reached out to several of these UDID sites that have gone down in recent weeks and heard back from one who said that its provider had taken its site off-line after complaints of copyright infringement by Apple.

[via Mac Stories]