Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Releases iTunes 12.7 With Major Changes, Including No Built-In App Store

I'm writing from the perspective of a relative Apple newbie. While I had an iPhone for a while that I used with Windows 7, when Microsoft shoved Windows 10 down everyone's throat, I bailed and got a Macbook Pro. The transition was not easy, but at least using my iPhone with my Mac was simple, as both were part of the same Apple ecosystem.

But now, if I can't just plug my iPhone into my Mac and have everything backup, sync up, update, etc... but I have to move things on and off the iPhone manually (as the comments thus far seem to suggest)... then it's not an ecosystem anymore.

I know I'm an old fuddie-duddie, but I want to plug things in, not use iCloud for everything. I don't want to use iCloud, or ANY cloud service, at all. I'll wait to see how things work with the next iteration of macOS and iOS; perhaps when both get updated there will be an easy way, still, to do things. But the way it looks right now, I don't see any reason to upgrade.

Nor any reason to keep purchasing Apple hardware when what I have now wears out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LastOneToKnow, Kevenly, saytheenay and 2 others
The new App Store app in High Sierra must have the same functionality as iTunes had, to be able to organise and synch your hundreds or maybe thousands apps on multiple devices in an easy way. By the way: Synch via WIFI takes infinitely longer than USB. It's physics. It's my fuddie-duddie's experience.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Kevenly
Great. The question now is if iTunes runs as fast as it should. I'm glad also they did not link it to High Sierra, with my Air running out of support...
 
Thankyou, finally!!
Now we only wait for iSync to be a separate app, and things are making a lot more sense to normal people...
 
  • Like
Reactions: bwintx
I would like Apple to make iTunes only music. The video and podcast can be separate since those can span many drives. Probably makes this more complex for Apple with Windows users.

Separating apps I understand but this will break my 32-bit app and apps that were removed with no replacement for me. I had dedicated an iPad Pro plus a iPad 2 as a backup for my favorite apps that are raptured away. I will create a Mac VM with the last iTunes to see if I can save these apps.
 
Now what happens when we need to back up older versions of apps? Really bugs me when Apple removes useful features like this all of a sudden.

Being able to browse the iOS App Store on Mac iTunes wasn't hugely useful, I don't miss that. But being able to sync apps is useful, and dropping that feature is absurd.
 
Jesus, over 10 pages and there are still people complaining that they can't backup via iTunes, they can't put ringtones when you still can (and it has been posted). The UI is gone but the features remain.
Now, everything that apple does is wrong. iTunes is bloated, everyone complains. They remove part of the features and people complain. You'll always piss off someone when you make a change. Don't you like it? Don't upgrade it.
We all know it's their way of doing things and sometimes it's upsetting.
Removing support of 32bit apps is a must. They haven't shipped 32bit iOS devices for a while. They did a similar thing with ppc-intel.
Or are we gonna cry for a whole week because you can't run Turbosynth (68k) on sierra? Purging all apps is part of purging the App Store, which everyone blamed because it was getting full of bloatware.
Do you still want to stick with old apps? Fine, don't upgrade and get over it. You don't have to buy things every year.
And I'm sorry for the guy who has 1.5k apps, but it's a borderline case.

And before anyone starts the *********, I'm a guy who has a 2.5Mb/s DSL, who had to download OS X upgrades (~4gb each), backups iPhone and iPad via iTunes, and is still using Yosemite for compatibility with older apps/drivers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bwintx and valdikor
cmichaelb said:
Good point, my understanding of the original comment was of someone complaining about having to manage that process on each device.
Click to expand...

No, you can enable automatic downloading on each iOS device, as you have been able to do for years. So if you purchase an app on your iPhone, it will also automatically install on your iPad.
[doublepost=1505283776][/doublepost]
Glassed Silver said:
Wow, a day full of f*** yous from Cupertino.

This has me SERIOUSLY reconsider my stay in the ecosystem.

A walled garden is okay if there are some doors and windows (haha, yes I know..)

If Apple wants to dictate even the version of the apps I want to run beyond this 32bit-deprecation dilemma then that is just one more negative point on the long list of things that start to irk me.

Affects my willingness to swallow these ridiculous prices, too.

Glassed Silver:ios
Click to expand...

Hold your drama: Looking for your past iOS app downloads? Learn how to redownload apps on your iOS device.
 
carlsson said:
Thankyou, finally!!
Now we only wait for iSync to be a separate app, and things are making a lot more sense to normal people...
Click to expand...

Will never happen. Almost nobody uses a Mac to configure their iPhone so they got rid of it. To stop iTunes bloat, just like most people in these forums have been complaining about for years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bwintx
redheeler said:
You were able to back up iOS apps on your Mac using iTunes 12.7?

Guess I will have to try for myself before I comment any further.
Click to expand...

You weren’t able to back apps on your Mac using the previous version. Backups contained app data only and restores put back a greyed out placeholder with that data. As far as I can tell that’s what this version does too. That happened during some time in the iOS 10 time frame (i can’t be more specific since, lol, plugging a phone and using iTunes) if I remember correctly.
 
I imagine this breaks iTunes file sharing? So something like Infuse is Wi-Fi only now?
 
There has to be an alternative. Otherwise it could be an IT nightmare. Consider hundreds of business/education iOS devices needing to be side loaded with apps.

Also what about the import/export feature within the app data? I've used this previously with 1 Password and Microsoft Office apps. I've had some profiles/certificates that completely disable any sort of iCloud sync.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mactendo
hagar said:
No, you can enable automatic downloading on each iOS device, as you have been able to do for years. So if you purchase an app on your iPhone, it will also automatically install on your iPad.
[doublepost=1505283776][/doublepost]

Hold your drama: Looking for your past iOS app downloads? Learn how to redownload apps on your iOS device.
Click to expand...
Hmm, hey you know what Apple is usually up to when they complicate things?

They want to gently push you away from a given app/workflow/whathaveyou.

This is the first step towards removing the Mac as an OPTION to work as a central hub to manage your iOS devices your way. (the limited options you were given that is...)

Unless there will be new or better ways to remain in full control over my IPAs and deploy them easily and without having to jump through folders (what a joke) I'm calling the end of iOS app management the way we know it.

I've always liked how iTunes would do a complete backup of my devices and that I could rely on that pretty well.

If Apple really wants me to trust them with keeping removed apps available to download and to partially give up control then so be it, but more and more iOS will just be a toy to me and the less money I will invest into iOS apps.

TheIntruder said:
Reminder. Complaining about it here does no good.

Let Apple know how you feel.
Click to expand...
These two options are not mutually exclusive.

And no, private feedback only is NOT the best option. And yes, Apple DOES read - amongst others - MacRumors comments.
They have a whole team that is tasked with researching the public image and common critique.
You don't seriously think they stop reading at the end of the article, right?

Glassed Silver:mac
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Kevenly, ShinyDren, Jynto and 1 other person
Lnds500 said:
I imagine this breaks iTunes file sharing? So something like Infuse is Wi-Fi only now?
Click to expand...

I have no idea on that app in particular, but there is still iTunes File sharing, it is located at the end of the settings section (Called File Sharing.) It works the same as before, except no pages to install/remove apps or rearrange folders to scroll through first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: firewood and Lnds500
TheMountainLife said:
Consider hundreds of business/education iOS devices needing to be side loaded with apps.
Click to expand...

You know what businesses and education centers don’t do? Sit with a copy of iTunes and manually load apps. MDM. Look it up.
[doublepost=1505284932][/doublepost]
Lnds500 said:
I imagine this breaks iTunes file sharing? So something like Infuse is Wi-Fi only now?
Click to expand...

It does not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bwintx, Lnds500 and RandomEnding
We've spent the last 10 years complaining about how much we DON'T want to use iTunes to manage anything, and now that we don't need to people are complaining that we can't lol.

(Not saying the questions/concerns aren't valid, it's just funny.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: bwintx
jsmith189 said:
We've spent the last 10 years complaining about how much we DON'T want to use iTunes to manage anything, and now that we don't need to people are complaining that we can't lol.

(Not saying the questions/concerns aren't valid, it's just funny.)
Click to expand...

Yep

Loge said:
It's just possible that those are two different sets of people. :)
Click to expand...

It’s possible and probable that a good amount of them are different people. Dollars to doughnuts that a helluva lot of them aren’t though.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bwintx
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back