Request a new branded iOS app for public distribution

Request, test, and publish a custom iOS app that has your unique company identity. Then make the app available for public distribution on the Apple store.

Before you begin

Role required: admin

About this task

Mobile Publishing enables you to request a new branded iOS app that can be distributed on the public Apple Store. After you complete the request form, your ServiceNow® instance builds the app and provides a link from where you can download an XCode archive file (.xcarchive). Then you download the XCode archive file, update it, and re-sign it to generate an iOS application archive file (.ipa). After the .ipa file is generated, you upload it to Apple Connect for testing. When testing is completed, you approve the build and can deploy your branded app with the public Apple Store.

Note:

Publicly distributed iOS app builds take one week from submission to be ready for testing. ServiceNow can't expedite this time line because it's determined by Apple.

Images that do not follow the guidelines listed below might appear cut off in your branded app, as shown in this example.

Procedure

1. Navigate to All > Mobile Branding > Manage Mobile Publishing Apps.
2. Select Request a new app.
3. On the Add basic info form, fill in the fields.

   Table 1. Add basic info form

   Field	Description
   Your contact info	Enter the name and email address for the requester of the branded mobile app. The email address is used to send notifications about the build status of your request.
   Your app's info
   App type	Select either Now Mobile or Mobile Agent. For more information about these mobile apps, see Now Mobile or Mobile Agent documentation. In the Washington DC release and later, select customers can use custom app types. For more information, see Create custom-type mobile apps with Mobile Publishing.
   Distribution type	Type of distribution. Select Public, and then select Accept in the Public distribution terms and conditions dialog box.
   Operating System (OS)	Mobile operating system for your mobile app. Select Android only. If you need to brand mobile apps for both operating systems, select iOS and Android.

4. Select Next.
5. On the Add app details form, fill in the fields.

   Table 2. Add app details form

   Field	Description
   Short name	Name of the app icon. The name can't exceed 13 characters. This name displays below the app icon on mobile devices.
   Bundle ID	Based on what you entered for the app name and app type, this field auto-populates with the bundle ID. You can select the copy icon () to copy this name to your system clipboard.
   Pre-populate instance	Toggle that enables you to enter a default app instance URL that is used for user login. Enter a default app instance URL that is secure and uses SSL over HTTP (https://). Note: Do not select this option if you are using AppConfig to pre-configure a default instance URL through an EMM suite or an embedded MAM SDK app. For more information, see AppConfig for Mobile Apps.
   Default app instance	Enter the secure default app instance URL. This field is only visible if you select the Pre-populate instance toggle.
   Nickname	(Optional) Enter a nickname for the Default app instance URL. This field is only visible if you select the Pre-populate instance toggle.
   Mobile Application Management (MAM)	Whether you want to use a MAM vendor with your apps. For more information, see Mobile application management (MAM) integration. To enable a MAM vendor, select the Use Mobile Application Management toggle.
   Mobile Application Management vendor	Select one of the following MAM vendors form the list: Blackberry Intune This field is only visible if you select the Mobile Application Management (MAM) toggle.
   End-user license agreement (EULA) and privacy policy	EULA and privacy policy options. Select the toggle Use ServiceNow's EULA and privacy policy to turn on the default EULA and privacy policy.
   EULA	URL where app users can view your custom end user license agreement from the mobile app settings. This option only displays when you do not select to use the default ServiceNow EULA.
   Privacy policy	URL where app users can view your custom privacy policy from the mobile app settings. This option only displays when you do not select to use the default ServiceNow privacy policy.

6. Select Next.
7. On the Set up for iOS form, fill in the fields.

   Table 3. Set up for iOS form

   Field	Description
   iOS icon and splash screen
   Use ServiceNow's icons and splash screens	Option that enables you to use the default ServiceNow branding and splash screens. If you turn on the toggle to select this option, the customization options are not available.
   App icon	Foreground launcher icon for your app. Select Upload to browse for the image file you want to use. The image file must meet the following requirements: File must be in the PNG format. Image size must be 1024 px by 1024 px. Image must be an icon of a company logo with no text. The icon must take up most of the image. Image must have flattened layers. Image must be on a solid background. Image must not have rounded corners.
   Splash screen logo	Splash screen for your app. Select Upload to browse for the image file you want to use. The image file must meet the following requirements: File must be in the PNG format. Image size must be 2048 px by 2048 px. Image must contain the company name and logo on a transparent background.
   Splash screen background color	Colored box where you select a color for the splash screen background color for your app. Select the square and then select a color on the color picker. The associated hex color code is populated in the text box.
   Internal iOS app testers	Testers for the iOS app. For iOS branding, users are required to receive notifications from Apple TestFlight. Select Add and enter the First name, Last name, and Email address for each tester. For more information on TestFlight, see the Apple documentation. Note: To add additional testers or different testers after you have submitted your branded app request, open a ticket with ServiceNow Support.

8. Select Next.
9. Optional: If you selected iOS and Android in the Operating System field on the Add basic info form in Step 3 above, see Step 8 in Request a new branded Android app for public distribution for information about filling out the Set up for Android form.
10. In the Review and submit form, review the selections you made in Steps 1-9.
11. If all the selections are what you want, select Submit to submit your branded app request.

Result

After you complete the request form, and submit it, your ServiceNow instance builds the app.

to view the status of the build:

1. Navigate to All > Mobile Branding > Manage Mobile Publishing Apps.
2. In Your recent app requests section, select the card for your branded app request to view its status on the Request details page.

When the app is ready for testing, you receive an email notification about the status of the build and also includes a link from where you can download an XCode archive file (.xcarchive).

What to do next

Note:

For public branded iOS apps that are managed by Microsoft Intune, you must register the app in your Microsoft tenant after the build is created, but before the app is distributed. For more information, see Microsoft Entra ID App Registration Mandate for iOS Intune Mobile App - Mobile Publishing (KB1640759). (You must have an account and log in to view this ServiceNow KB.)

After the build successfully completes and your app is ready for testing, see Test and publish a new branded iOS app for public distribution.