More about Apple .ipa file format!

.ipa (Apple Device Application File) files are iTunes version of iPhone applications that stores locally on the following folder:

“Current user music folder”\iTunes\Mobile Applications

Windows Vista example: “C:\Users\’User name’\Music\iTunes\Mobile Applications”

When you download an app from AppStore or adding apps to your iTunes Library, iTunes will automatically make a copy of the “.ipa” file in this folder!

As you see you can easily back up your application sources by making a copy of this folder.

Now the question is “What is included in ipa files?”

You can decompress an ipa file using 7-Zip and see what is included! I do this (ReMovem.ipa), you can see the results here.

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ipa file size 532,407 bytes

Decompressed size 744,168 bytes

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As you see in directory list of ReMoven.ipa, there is a folder named “Payload” in the ipa file! I don’t know anything about payload but I see something like this in WinPwn application! As I think you can add payload’s into the iPhone Custom firmware file! That means you can install ipa files using WinPwn, it’s very amazing! But I’m really not sure!

There is another file in this directory named “iTunesArtwork” (Without any extensions)! Open this file using Paint!

In the payload folder you can find a folder named “ReMovem.app” (Yes, really it’s a folder!), file content on this folder is application specific!

There is some ways to install an application using it’s “.app” folder! I’ll describe it later.

Compression method will be available soon.

Stay Tuned…