Apple Books app: "This app is only available on iOS. To get this app, search for it on the App Store on your iOS device."

Question

Level 1

14 points

Apple Books app: "This app is only available on iOS. To get this app, search for it on the App Store on your iOS device."

When I try to update Apple Books iOS app through iTunes 12.6.5.3 it say's "This app is only available on iOS. To get this app, search for it on the App Store on your iOS device."

When I search the app store for the Apple Books app, no updates are shown as available. Search for Apple Books results in a 'Open' button rather than an 'Update' button.

All other apps seem to be downloading just fine.

Any ideas?

iMac 27", macOS 10.13

Posted on Jun 3, 2019 1:14 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

turingtest2

Level 10

272,801 points

Jun 4, 2019 10:11 AM in response to johpo01

It isn’t an error. You should remove the Books or iBooks apps from your library because they won’t be updated with a version you could sync to your device. IBooks started life as an standalone app, but has since become a core component of iOS, and thus can only be reinstated using the App Store on the device, not by syncing from iTunes. Likewise with Podcasts.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

272,801 points

Jun 3, 2019 3:22 PM in response to akseeker

What version of iOS is running on your device? I'm pretty sure that Books is a built-in app these days, so is updated when necessary when iOS is updated. If you'd removed it in error from the device you would search the App Store on the device for Apple Books to locate a version you can install. That won't transfer to iTunes.

tt2

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Answer 3

johpo01

Level 1

49 points

Jun 4, 2019 10:02 AM in response to akseeker

Same here. Must be an error from Apple. I too use iTunes 12.6.5.3 to manage my apps on my devices. And I've got the same message. All other apps are updating just fine. And so has Apple Books in the past.

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Answer 4

akseeker Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 4, 2019 11:16 AM in response to turingtest2

iOS 12.3.1 installed, and it's never had this behavior before. I've never removed it from my device.

I removed it from my library, and it disappeared from the update page, so hopefully it's taken care of.

Thanks

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Answer 5

turingtest2

Level 10

272,801 points

Jun 4, 2019 12:02 PM in response to akseeker

If you're still running iTunes 12.6.5.3 and trying to manage apps in iTunes then you're behind the curve. That build of iTunes cannot be installed in Mojave or the upcoming Catalina. Whether or not there will be a 12.6.6.x to support iOS 13 remains to be seen, but either way local copies of core apps that were once standalone are redundant. As is keeping hold of 32-bit apps if you don't have any device they would install on.

tt2

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