In an email sent out to its education partners — and obtained by MacRumors — Apple outlined plans to simplify the process through which schools can distribute iPads to students. The company’s future plans include eliminating the need for an Apple ID to load apps on the device, improving the Apple Deployment Program, and simplifying the administrator experience.
To make app distribution easier, Apple will eliminate the need to create Apple IDs just for the sake of delivering apps and books, reducing the number of steps required to set up a device. Also, schools will have the option to prevent students from making purchases without prior approval.
To simplify large deployments, including one-to-one and shared use, we want to make app distribution even easier. Today, Apple IDs are required in order to deliver apps and books to students. We are working to change this in the fall by allowing schools to assign and distribute apps to a device without an Apple ID. As currently planned, this will greatly reduce the number of steps needed to setup a device.
This change should eliminate the need to create generic Apple IDs solely for the purposes of getting content onto iPad. Schools will also have the option to prevent students from making personal purchases without approval.
Apple is also working to change the Apple ID for Students program in 2016, which affects students under 13, as schools have to obtain parental consent to create Apple IDs for them. The changes will enable schools to create and manage Apple IDs that can be configured to access iCloud on behalf of students and will allow system administrators to reset student passwords while still complying with COPPA requirements.
