Can a preview app be uploaded to iTunes Connect in order to use Test Flight?

[jeffreyp6484616]

My limited test says "no," because preview apps must be signed with the developer profile, and iTunes Connect requires apps to be signed with the production/distribution profile.

The followup question is how to get a preview app into the hands of testers or content reviewers. Send them the properly signed and provisioned .ipa to load to their device via iTunes?

[NMarroquin · Accepted solution]

It is certainly possible, Apple's guidelines seem to indicate that this is ok (note: because the app the string "Preview" in it I would assume you could not submit a preview app to the actual store).

A preview app can be signed with a distribution certificate for TestFlight distribution. There's nothing wrong with that; however, I don't believe push notifications will work for those builds.