∞ Apple launches App Store Volume Purchase for schools

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Apple quietly launched a new program for educational institutions that want to purchase apps from its iPhone, iPod touch and iPad App Store — a Volume Purchase Program.

Education customers can purchase volume vouchers in denominations of $100, $500, $1000, $5000, $10,000. The vouchers can be purchased from the Apple Store for Education.

The educational institution designates one or more people to redeem the vouchers on the App Store, and they will purchase the apps that they want to distribute. After the purchases are done, a link to a dashboard will be sent to designated person in charge where they will find the app-specific codes to be given out to students and teachers.

The Volume Purchase Program also gives developers the opportunity to offer discounted pricing for purchases of 20 or more apps, according to Apple.


  • http://crankygeek.com Jack Brewster

    I know of school districts that currently use a single iTunes account to manage multiple iPod Touches (or other iOS devices) and are able to purchase a single license to use on all of them.

    While it could be argued that it’s not exactly in the spirit of purchasing what you need, it’s well within the terms of the current license agreement. I wonder if this will break (or is the beginning of breaking) that kind of usage?

    • Daniel Swanson

      I hope shout it will bread such piracy! If schools condone such unethical activity, how can we hope to eventually curb piracy in the society?

      • Daniel Swanson

        That’s “break” such piracy.

        • http://crankygeek.com Jack Brewster

          It’s not piracy. But I think you were trying to be funny?

    • Lucas

      That is likely the intention. These volume buys are supposed to come with a discount as high as 50%.

      There is also the advantage that each copy would be likely to an individuals itunes account so when an update posts, you or I can update our own copy and not have to swing by wherever to reload it off a different computer

      Mind you there is still the huge issue that whether an app is part of the program is in the hands of the developer and some of the apps that a school might want could end up not being included so they just continue to use that ‘as many devices as you want’ EULA clause even up to a few hundred devices.