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iTunes 12.6.4 Released as Minor Update to Version With Built-In App Store

MacRumors said:
Download links for iTunes 12.6.4.3 have been quietly made available in an Apple support document related to deploying iPhone and iPad apps in a business environment with iTunes on Mac or Windows PCs.
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page linked has been updated as of Sept 12th.

for macOS updated to 12.6.5, I assume, but cannot verify, to add compatibility for newest iOS devices!

You can install iOS 11.x.x, will verify iOS 12 later today, you need to download the .ipsw file, (you cannot get the update through iTunes 12.6), for method see this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/does-itunes-12-6-4-work-with-ios-11-4.2121303/
 
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Confirmed!

I just updated my iPhone SE to iOS 12.0 via iTunes 12.6.5.3 (macOS Sierra). To find out how to do this please see below.
 
Last edited:
benji888 said:
Confirmed!

I just updated my iPhone SE to iOS 12.0 via iTunes 12.6.5.3 (macOS Sierra). To find out how to do this please see link in my last comment.
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Sorry . . . instructions seem to be a bit all over the place. You mean this?:

benji888 said:
Yes to all, including iOS updates.

I'm using 12.6.4 still, I don't do OTA software updates, have less issues as a result. I had to do this for iOS 11.3.1 (& 11.4): To update iOS just download IPSW, can find various places, (should be sourced from apple servers), I like osxdaily they are prompt at getting them up and a straightforward site. Put it in ~(user)/library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates folder. (If your library folder is invisible, search on how to make your library folder visible.) Then go to iTunes connect your idevice, hold down option key press "Check for update" this will open that folder, click on the correct IPSW file and it just works.
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benji888 said:
Yes.

I got the iOS 12.0 .ipsw here: http://osxdaily.com/2018/09/17/ios-12-download-ipsw-update/

(You may not be able to get the latest iOS updates via iTunes 12.6.x.x, if you "Check For Update" it will either say you have the latest update or tell you to download a newer version of iTunes.)
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Crazy they release any update to this version of iTunes that supports the last version of iOS 11, less than a week before releasing iOS 12.
 
RecentlyConverted said:
Crazy they release any update to this version of iTunes that supports the last version of iOS 11, less than a week before releasing iOS 12.
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Business/school users use this version of iTunes to update multiple devices. I'm sure Apple is only still supporting it due to demand. They would rather people use the app store on the device, however, if a school or business has hundreds of iPads, and they don't let people do automatic updates, (compatibility with functionality needs to be maintained, sometimes this can be lost with an app update), they need the ability to work with iOS apps within iTunes. (Think about how many airline pilots now have iPads instead of maps.)
 
benji888 said:
Business/school users use this version of iTunes to update multiple devices. I'm sure Apple is only still supporting it due to demand. They would rather people use the app store on the device, however, if a school or business has hundreds of iPads, and they don't let people do automatic updates, (compatibility with functionality needs to be maintained, sometimes this can be lost with an app update), they need the ability to work with iOS apps within iTunes. (Think about how many airline pilots now have iPads instead of maps.)
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Yes I know, but why not update it for iOS12? Up to now I have had to boot to a different drive (running new iTunes) to update iOS (11) and then back to main drive to manage apps. Now I will have to do it again for iOS 12.
 
RecentlyConverted said:
Thanks, but not sure I would be comfortable disabling SIP. Hopefully Apple will realease a Mojave friendly version.
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I hear you! You don't leave SIP disabled (although there can be personal reasons for doing that) Disable SIP to allow you to make that change to the system (to install a different iTunes version). When you are finished with that task, simply re-enable SIP.
 
Le Big Mac said:
Seems you can do this directly in iTunes 12.6.5.3 - it offered the update to iOS 12, downloaded it, and installed it directly onto my SE. No message about needing to upgrade to iTunes 12.9.
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Oh, that's great! I actually was on the iOS 12 beta program in the last few weeks, so it didn't offer an update, but I will try this for 12.1.
 
The Mac version is available again with a note saying: "This version of iTunes is not compatible with macOS Mojave."
 
For anybody who is wondering (or responsible for support), 12.6.5.3 works with the new iPhone XR. However, one restore messed up the home screen and icon locations on one of my phones, but luckily with 12.6 it's at least easier to re-sort the icons and restore some old apps that iCloud wouldn't download. Some downsides are the missing pretty iPhone logo in app now and the icon layout on the homescreens are skewed, but at least the basic functionalities still work!
 
I forgot to update...12.6.5.3 does work with iOS 12 updates... I have since updated my iPhone SE to 12.0.1 and 12.1 via iTunes, without having to download the .ipsw from an external website. It would appear this update works with newest devices and iOS.

I am running macOS Sierra 10.12.6, (with all the latest security updates), however.
 
Apple no longer supports the legacy iTunes 12.6 w/ios apps.

If trying to update to iOS 13 and having issues, or, updating 13 OTA and then having issues w/itunes 12.6, it is because they are not compatible. Apple will not be giving us another update to iTunes 12.6 for iOS 13 compatibility, they are trying to move people to the in-device app store.

Dilemma:
Not sure what to do, I want to update to iOS 13, but, my options are: update OTA and no longer use iTunes, which means I have to enable iCloud backup, which I don't want, I prefer backup on my Mac and my Mac's backup. OR update iTunes and no longer be able to swap old iOS apps that still work but are unavailable for my iPad Mini (1st gen.) running iOS 9.

I guess my last option would be to make another system on a spare drive with iTunes 12.6 to use just for the iPad Mini, but, there are other reasons for not wanting to update, and, I really don't have the time to build that right now. Ugh.
 
benji888 said:
Apple no longer supports the legacy iTunes 12.6 w/ios apps.

If trying to update to iOS 13 and having issues, or, updating 13 OTA and then having issues w/itunes 12.6, it is because they are not compatible. Apple will not be giving us another update to iTunes 12.6 for iOS 13 compatibility, they are trying to move people to the in-device app store.

Dilemma:
Not sure what to do, I want to update to iOS 13, but, my options are: update OTA and no longer use iTunes, which means I have to enable iCloud backup, which I don't want, I prefer backup on my Mac and my Mac's backup. OR update iTunes and no longer be able to swap old iOS apps that still work but are unavailable for my iPad Mini (1st gen.) running iOS 9.

I guess my last option would be to make another system on a spare drive with iTunes 12.6 to use just for the iPad Mini, but, there are other reasons for not wanting to update, and, I really don't have the time to build that right now. Ugh.
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Alternatively, you can create a small Catalina partition just for updating iOS when needed, instead of creating a small partition for iTunes 12.6.5.
I realise this incompatibility when I try to roll back to an older iOS beta build.
 
jb-net said:
Anyone tested it? There is also no new iTunes 12.8.x with iOS 13 Support. So my no change is needed?
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There's an update which gets installed which does add support to earlier Mac versions of iTunes for iOS 13. I guess it just doesn't support as far back as iTunes 12.6.x.
 
I got a message that a software update needs to be installed to connect my iPhone to this computer, I installed it, (1 item w/no description, no idea what it is).


iPhone 8 w/iOS 13 installed OTA works just fine with iTunes 12.6.5.3 on my Mac w/macOS Sierra. (I couldn’t install it with iTunes, got a firmware not compatible message after downloading and then trying to update w/iTunes.)
 
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