altstoreio / altstoreio/AltStore

AltStore keeps asking for Apple ID (possibly due to email capitalization)

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bug
Dominant language
Swift
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Description

Describe the bug
With my Apple (Developer) ID, I always get asked to sign in when refreshing or installing an app.
-> Look at "additional context" for my theory of why this happens for some people.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

  1. Refresh/Install new App
  2. Getting login dialog

Expected behavior
Not getting a login dialog each time I try to refresh/install a new app.

Desktop (please complete the following information if applicable):

  • OS: macOS
  • Version: Catalina 10.15.5 (19F101)

iPhone (please complete the following information):

  • Device: iPhone X (GSM)
  • iOS: 13.5 (non jailbroken)

Additional context/Possible fix
I already saw a couple of users on Reddit talking about this issue.
When I originally created my Apple-ID, I had the default @icloud.com and only later changed it to my @gmail.com address. However, I probably capitalized two letters in that email.
On the appleid.apple.com website, it does show all lowercase though. Except in one place where I can actually see two letters capitalized. (German: "E‑MAIL-ADRESSE VERBERGEN
Weiterleiten an:" part (English rough translation: "Hide E-Mail. Forward to:")

This information is also shown in AltStore in the settings tab, when "logged in".

When I then refresh/install an app, I need to log in with all lower-case of my Apple-ID. (Else login fails).
However, it always sets the "Email" in the settings tab to the email with two letters capitalized.

I suppose that AltStore uses the email which is also displayed in the settings tab to log in each time and fails, as there are two letters capitalized.
Perhaps simply lower-casing that information (when sending to Apple or before saving the email) would be able to solve that issue.

(It does not seem (easily) possible to change my Apple-ID email to all lowercase, as Apple sees this as the same email?)

Edit: Perhaps the best solution would be that AltStore simply uses the email that was last entered by the user (and successfully signed in with) and use that (+ showing that in the AltStore settings tab)?

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the refresh/install login flow and the email shown in the AltStore settings tab, as described in the issue. Reproduce the repeated sign-in prompt and verify whether the address is normalized or the last successfully entered address is retained; done means refreshing or installing no longer repeatedly prompts for login.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
ios, swift
Domain
authentication, mobile
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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