The Case of the Reappearing Apps

Has this ever happened to any of you?

Note: My 2 Touches (also have an iPhone) have the latest iTunes software and updates. They both experience the same problem, so I fear it's a bug in the new iTunes.

The problem is ALL OF A SUDDEN, whenever I buy an app now, the icon appears ready to install but when I untick the box via iTunes (whether in the Sync window or Sync scroll-down menu) or deleting it directing from the "jiggling" icon on the Touch, IT MYSTERIOUSLY reappears when I reconnect the Touch.


To recap, I buy apps but decide I don't want to install them just now. I untick the boxes, and sure enough, they're gone from the page. But when I reconnect the Touch, the icon reappears. I've tried hard deleting the app from my Mobile Applications folder, but this defeats the purpose of Syncing, which should work, indeed did work until a few hours ago.

I've done everything short of the dread dread Restore, which I refuse to do. We're talking 120 apps in 11 pages. I have already spent 4 hours trying to figure this thing out. I will not spend a whole day reordering my apps after a Restore which may not be the problem if it's an iTunes bug.

I will go to the Genius bar, or call Apple during working hours, but hey, maybe YOU geniuses can help!

First, thanks for helping me out, Tracey! As you can see, I'm up at this ungodly hour still "working" on it...

I have done this:

1- Unticked the new unistalled app icons from the Sync window and from the Sync applications scroll-down menu. I buckled under pressure and installed them, deleting them, then rebooting. Nada. They reappear.

2- Deleted the apps directly on my Touch.

3- Deleted the Backup.

4- Reset Sync History.

5- Hard deleted the apps in the Mobile Applications folder (this of course works, but come on -- do I have to do this every time for apps I don't want??).

6- Deleted pages 9-11 of apps, just in case it was an "invisible page" bug.

7- I had had all the software updated (9.0.2.25/3.1.2) but just in case, I reinstalled iTunes.

Nothing works.

Every time I untick the NEW apps I just bought, that I don't want to install (something I have done without problems for a year), they reappear the very next time when I reconnect the Touch.

There is a bug that is preventing iTunes from memorising my preferences about whether or not I want just-bought apps to be installed or not.

I have, obviously, scoured the internet for clues and I have found several other people with exactly my problem (it seems a problem tied to iTunes 9, and not to the iDevices), but NONE of them have had an Apple customer service rep attempt to solve this problem -- specifically, in the Apple Discussion forums.

DOES APPLE NOT CARE? Sheesh.

A followup, in case people with this problem Google for help, as I did.

I called Apple Support and the tech I spoke to, a Touch expert, said it wasn't a hardware issue. It's a KNOWN issue in iTunes 9, with the two last updates. She unfortunately couldn't help me but directed me to the iTunes Support centre -- unfortunately, they only use chat online or email, no voice support.

You know what that means: they send you stock replies on how to "solve" your problem. My first such reply was a total joke. Instead of replying, oh yes sorry, it's a known issue, it had a "helpful" tip on how to manually manage (delete) my apps, something I have done for over 7 years with my iPods. Sheesh.

I have not as yet solved this problem, and I will post the solution in case there is one, but my tip to everyone is DO NOT UPGRADE to iTunes 9.

It is the most annoying thing in the world with iDevices, to suddenly, out of the blue, not be able to delete apps you've just bought, no matter what you do.