Q: keep iPhone-deleted apps on iTunes
Hi,
I am changing phones and would like to make sure all my apps are still on iCloud through iTunes.
Usually, when iPhone is connected to iTunes, all my apps in my iPhone are displayed on the left side of the screen (I mean vertically in a row) and on the right side there are the home screens with various apps. And then I have always been able to click remove on a app on a homescreen and it will show up on the left side.
But now I have tried with several not so important apps, and they just disappear. I am fully aware that I could remove them and I would then find them in the app store again - but it feel safer to add them to iTunes as they have data on them I dont want gone.
Can anyone help?
iPhone 5, Mac OS X El Capitan V.10.11.3
Thanks, Anna
Posted on May 8, 2016 10:03 AM
New "App Thinning" with iOS9: To make apps smaller they are being customized for specific hardware when downloaded from Apple directly over-the-air to a device with iOS9. Apps downloaded directly to a device from Apple may no longer work on any other kind of device. Apple has decided there is no point in syncing these to a computer since each device should ideally get a customized version directly from Apple. If you want a backup copy on your computer you can transfer a non-thinned version directly from the Store to the computer which should you need it can be transferred to any i-device (but will take up more room). You may wish to enable automatic downloads on your computer so there will be a copy of all apps there as sometimes apps are removed from the Store: Turn on Automatic Downloads - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202180#computer Extra tips from sberman: Make sure "Apps" is checked. Also make sure the Apple ID shown just below "Automatic Downloads" is the same one you're using on the iPhone. - https://discussions.apple.com/message/29896877#29896877
Here's the technical description: https://developer.apple.com/library/watchos/documentation/IDEs/Conceptual/AppDis tributionGuide/AppThinning/AppThinning.html - iOS9 App Thinning > "Slicing is the process of creating and delivering variants of the app bundle for different target devices. A variant contains only the executable architecture and resources that are needed for the target device." ... "The App Store will create and deliver different variants based on the devices your app supports."
Your data is another matter. That should be transferred as part of a backup. It is the apps themselves that are no longer transferred.
Posted on May 9, 2016 6:05 AM