Apple's Special Version of iTunes That Still Has an App Store Currently Incompatible With macOS Mojave

[B4U]

And iTunes 12.6.5.3 sees iOS 14.2 is available for my burn phone SE, but after downloading it and burning my bandwidth, it would not install.
Really beginning to wonder if there is any way to transfer the ipa into the phones directly from my iMac.

 

[katbel]

And iTunes 12.6.5.3 sees iOS 14.2 is available for my burn phone SE, but after downloading it and burning my bandwidth, it would not install.
Really beginning to wonder if there is any way to transfer the ipa into the phones directly from my iMac.

Oh yes, you can but you need Configurator or even better iTunes 12.9.5.
I keep both (12.6.5.3 too) as previously suggested somewhere. Just be careful to let it use a different iTunes library for each one, so you don’t need to make it every time.
Now I’m using both to survive with new iPhone and old iPad etc.. lot of work till I don’t find an easier solution.

 

[B4U]

Oh yes, you can but you need Configurator or even better iTunes 12.9.5.
I keep both (12.6.5.3 too) as previously suggested somewhere. Just be careful to let it use a different iTunes library for each one, so you don’t need to make it every time.
Now I’m using both to survive with new iPhone and old iPad etc.. lot of work till I don’t find an easier solution.

Did you mean the ipa will still transfer through iTunes 12.9.5? Or have to download the same app over and over with Configurator 2 for multiple devices?

 

[katbel]

Did you mean the ipa will still transfer through iTunes 12.9.5? Or have to download the same app over and over with Configurator 2 for multiple devices?

Yes iTunes 12.9.5 should work, I don’t like ipsw updates via A. configurator , it takes longer.
IPA apps downloaded with Config 2 using iPhone 12,
then copied all the new apps to iTunes 12.6.5 and
Updated the other devices = one download only.

edited for clarification

 

[B4U]

Yes iTunes 12.9.5 should work, I don’t like ipa updates via A. configurator , it takes longer.

My current process:

1. Start Configurator 2
2. Connect iPhone
3. Click on the "Update" button
4. Choose "only certain apps"
5. Select apps that needs update and does not require iOS 14.
6. Go to the Group Container / Configurator folder that contains the ipa file after downloading.
7. Start iTunes 12.6.5.3
8. Drag the ipa file from finder folder to iTunes 12.6.5.3 and confirm that I want to replace the app
9. Quit Configurator 2 but keep iTunes 12.6.5.3
10. Connect other iOS devices to iTunes
11. Click on the "Sync" to transfer the updated apps (This no longer works with the burn phone SE on iOS 14.0.1, and I have to manually go through the apps list and click on the "update" button one by one)
12. Repeat step 10 & 11 for remaining iOS devices.

Is your process similar?

 

[katbel]

My current process:

1. Start Configurator 2
2. Connect iPhone
3. Click on the "Update" button
4. Choose "only certain apps"
5. Select apps that needs update and does not require iOS 14.
6. Go to the Group Container / Configurator folder that contains the ipa file after downloading.
7. Start iTunes 12.6.5.3
8. Drag the ipa file from finder folder to iTunes 12.6.5.3 and confirm that I want to replace the app
9. Quit Configurator 2 but keep iTunes 12.6.5.3
10. Connect other iOS devices to iTunes
11. Click on the "Sync" to transfer the updated apps (This no longer works with the burn phone SE on iOS 14.0.1, and I have to manually go through the apps list and click on the "update" button one by one)
12. Repeat step 10 & 11 for remaining iOS devices.

Is your process similar?

Yes, for updating apps is the same process for all my devices except the new iPhone 12 used only to download the apps via Configurator,as explained in my edited post
I meant iTunes 12.9.5 only for updating the ipsw iOS 14.2, as you asked in your post.
Sorry for the misspelling after when you start referring to ipa , apps, I thought you were still talking of the ipsw

 

[B4U]

Yes, for updating apps is the same process for all my devices except the new iPhone 12 used only to download the apps via Configurator,as explained in my edited post
I meant iTunes 12.9.5 only for updating the ipsw iOS 14.2, as you asked in your post.
Sorry for the misspelling after when you start referring to ipa , apps, I thought you were still talking of the ipsw

One thing about Configurator is that it cannot arrange the apps on the phone. Why does Apple have to be such a PITA about this. 😓

 

[katbel]

One thing about Configurator is that it cannot arrange the apps on the phone. Why does Apple have to be such a PITA about this. 😓

Just about this?! I have a long list...
One other trick I just used is to drop the apps updated for iPad or the old iPhone on the new iPhone-in Configurator , so I do not have to download it twice, as Apple would like me to do 😠

 

[B4U]

Just about this?! I have a long list...
One other trick I just used is to drop the apps updated for iPad or the old iPhone on the new iPhone-in Configurator , so I do not have to download it twice, as Apple would like me to do 😠

We can drag it from the iTunes to Configurator??

 

[katbel]

We can drag it from the iTunes to Configurator??

Yes, from the folder
or from the just newly downloaded apps in the Configurator folder, from one device to the other .

 

[B4U]

Yes, from the folder View attachment 1490962
or from the just newly downloaded apps in the Configurator folder, from one device to the other .

And after looking all over the place in Configurator for over 10 minutes, finally realize that screen capture is from iTunes. 🤣
Given that the spec for 12 does not provide enough incentive for me to jump from X, therefore not going to touch iTunes 12.9.5 at the moment. (Considering how much of a pain it is to manage the iTunes library)
Thank you very much for sharing the info. (Perhaps I shall at least download iTunes 12.9.5's installation package before Apple being Apple again)
Scratch that, it appears that iTunes 12.8 is the latest one available for Mac.

 

[efecanarar]

You can download iTunes 12.9.X from retroactive

 

[katbel]

You can download iTunes 12.9.X from retroactive

If I don't recall wrong , 12.9.5 was extracted from a Mojave installer
Check this link
and this one over all

 

[efecanarar]

Yep and retroactive does it but you have to enough free storage and probably you will have to clean up caches after the installation.

 

[B4U]

Now that I think about it, what is the point of keeping 12.6.5.3 if we can no longer download the apps directly on it?

 

[Foxglove9]

Now that I think about it, what is the point of keeping 12.6.5.3 if we can no longer download the apps directly on it?

That's why I'm finally going to update to Big Sur. Just waiting for the next revision. I am using an old Windows Laptop to download and backup apps since that is still working. But I suppose even that will stop at some point.

 

[B4U]

That's why I'm finally going to update to Big Sur. Just waiting for the next revision. I am using an old Windows Laptop to download and backup apps since that is still working. But I suppose even that will stop at some point.

Well, I am not leaving Mojave because Cancerlina got rid of Dashboard that I use often. That and getting rid of iTunes completely, where I can no longer put apps that were paid for and removed from AppStore in the devices.
These decision by Apple has successfully prevented me from switching from my iPhone X.

 

[katbel]

Now that I think about it, what is the point of keeping 12.6.5.3 if we can no longer download the apps directly on it?

Yes, but you can see all the apps that need to be updated (sigh..),
keep the library updated and sync more than one device once you've downloaded from other sources. Easier than using other apps so far.
Still using Mojave no Cancerlina/Crapalina or BS for me.

 

[B4U]

Yes, but you can see all the apps that need to be updated (sigh..),
keep the library updated and sync more than one device once you've downloaded from other sources. Easier than using other apps so far.
Still using Mojave no Cancerlina/Crapalina or BS for me.

"It just works." has evolved into "It just worked."

 

[XXLuigiMario]

Apple is deliberately blocking purchase requests coming from macOS on older versions of iTunes.
I confirmed this by spoofing the User-Agent of iTunes 12.6.5 on macOS to that of the same version running on Windows 7. Result: Music, apps, etc. can be downloaded once again.

When iTunes wants to download content from Apple's servers it makes a request to
"https://p14-buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZBuy.woa/wa/buyProduct"

If authorized, the server will reply with a list of files for iTunes to download (named "songList").
However, for macOS, the server says the download is authorized but providing an empty "songList".
This results in the download finishing immediately, as there is nothing to download. However, no error is displayed as it technically succeeded (in downloading nothing).

Empty "songList" on macOS (left), regular "songList" on Windows (right)

Here's what happens if we spoof our User-Agent to
"iTunes/12.6.5 (Windows; Microsoft Windows 7 x64 Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 (Build 7601); x64) AppleWebKit/7605.1033.1002.2":

If you wanna try this yourself, get Charles Proxy and enable SSL decryption.
You need to add the SSL certificate to the System keychain and set it as Trusted.
iTunes does SSL pinning on certain domains, so you'll need to disable decryption on those.
Proxy -> SSL Proxying Settings
Make sure it looks like this:

Now save this as an XML file: https://pastebin.com/GgkMPfGr
Then go to Tools -> Rewrite and click on Import.
That's it.

 

[katbel]

Apple is deliberately blocking purchase requests coming from macOS on older versions of iTunes.
I confirmed this by spoofing the User-Agent of iTunes 12.6.5 on macOS to that of the same version running on Windows 7. Result: Music, apps, etc. can be downloaded once again.

When iTunes wants to download content from Apple's servers it makes a request to
"https://p14-buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZBuy.woa/wa/buyProduct"

If authorized, the server will reply with a list of files for iTunes to download (named "songList").
However, for macOS, the server says the download is authorized but providing an empty "songList".
This results in the download finishing immediately, as there is nothing to download. However, no error is displayed as it technically succeeded (in downloading nothing).

Empty "songList" on macOS (left), regular "songList" on Windows (right)

Here's what happens if we spoof our User-Agent to
"iTunes/12.6.5 (Windows; Microsoft Windows 7 x64 Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 (Build 7601); x64) AppleWebKit/7605.1033.1002.2":

View attachment 1694411

If you wanna try this yourself, get Charles Proxy and enable SSL decryption.
You need to add the SSL certificate to the System keychain and set it as Trusted.
iTunes does SSL pinning on certain domains, so you'll need to disable decryption on those.
Proxy -> SSL Proxying Settings
Make sure it looks like this:

Now save this as an XML file: https://pastebin.com/GgkMPfGr
Then go to Tools -> Rewrite and click on Import.
That's it.

If I get it to work is a great Christmas gift 😊 .
Do you need to buy Charles Proxy? Does Charles Proxy requires to be installed to be used each time?

Thanks for sharing for now!

 

[katbel]

If you wanna try this yourself, get Charles Proxy and enable SSL decryption.
You need to add the SSL certificate to the System keychain and set it as Trusted.
iTunes does SSL pinning on certain domains, so you'll need to disable decryption on those.

Please I need some more infos, thanks

1) How do you add and where do you find the certificate SSL?

2) Is "disable decryption" equal
"Enable SSL Proxying " in the window? I could not find it anywhere else
Everything in Charles Proxy is exactly like you showed in your picture but I'm missing the SSL certificate .

 

[XXLuigiMario]

Please I need some more infos, thanks

1) How do you add and where do you find the certificate SSL?

2) Is "disable decryption" equal
"Enable SSL Proxying " in the window? I could not find it anywhere else
Everything in Charles Proxy is exactly like you showed in your picture but I'm missing the SSL certificate .

1)

In Charles, go to "Help" -> "SSL Proxying" -> "Save Charles Root Certificate...".
Open the saved file, then tell Keychain Access to add it to the System keychain.
Then on the Keychains pane, select the System keychain and look for the Charles Proxy certificate.
Double click on it, expand "Trust" and set "When to use this certificate" to "Always Trust".

2)

What I meant is that you need to exclude those domains from SSL proxying.
Just make sure that your settings match the picture in my previous post.

Charles Proxy is paid but offers a free trial, but it's annoying as it self-closes after 30 minutes of use.
There are ways around this, but I won't get into them here.
If you only use it for this purpose I'd turn off its recoding feature, click on the red button.

 

[katbel]

1)

In Charles, go to "Help" -> "SSL Proxying" -> "Save Charles Root Certificate...".
Open the saved file, then tell Keychain Access to add it to the System keychain.
Then on the Keychains pane, select the System keychain and look for the Charles Proxy certificate.
Double click on it, expand "Trust" and set "When to use this certificate" to "Always Trust".

2)

What I meant is that you need to exclude those domains from SSL proxying.
Just make sure that your settings match the picture in my previous post.

Charles Proxy is paid but offers a free trial, but it's annoying as it self-closes after 30 minutes of use.
There are ways around this, but I won't get into them here.
If you only use it for this purpose I'd turn off its recoding feature, click on the red button.

Thanks for further explaining it: I've done exactly all the steps you suggested
Certificate is in the system Keychain and trusted till 2050...
I restarted the computer but updating is still not working
I have Mojave 10.14.6 and iTunes 12.6.5 , exactly the same About in iTunes shown in your clip.
If I get info in finder about iTunes somehow has become 13.6.5, just discovered now!

 

[XXLuigiMario]

Thanks for further explaining it: I've done exactly all the steps you suggested
Certificate is in the system Keychain and trusted till 2050...
I restarted the computer but updating is still not working
I have Mojave 10.14.6 and iTunes 12.6.5 , exactly the same About in iTunes shown in your clip.
If I get info in finder about iTunes somehow has become 13.6.5, just discovered now!

I've found that the "p14-buy" server sometimes changes, so it might be your case here.
With recording mode on, check to see which server your iTunes is using.
If it's different, go to "Tools" -> "Rewrite" -> "Fix iTunes" and add a location as such: