iOS 9/iTunes 12.3 not syncing app through devices

Ok , today i wanted to reinstall iOS 9.1 on my iPhone 6S from DFU mode.

Since my apps were not transferring from iPhone to MacBook, i went in iTunes appstore - my purchased apps and downloaded all the apps i had on iPhone. Then made a backup and after the DFU firmware install and restore the apps synced and installed from my MacBook along with backup data. Now i hope they will stay in sync but i'm confident because now they show up in my iPhone apps in iTunes (on the left under the device) .

I have he same issue but with ringtones. With IOS 9.1 the ringtones disappeared from my iPad and iPhone and I con/t find an obvious way to transfer from from the iMac to the IOS devices.

Jay

I agree with you; I don't rely on the cloud either, because I know that by hook or by crook, data can be stolen, or disappear, and not having a local backup would be disastrous.

The users I'm around aren't tech-savvy; they put their faith on iCloud-only backups because it's simple, requires no thought, and they don't know any better.

On the remote chance that Apple might be able to provide useful support, I set up a Genius session at a store this week.

The Genius, who really wanted to be helpful, understood the issues affecting the users here, but couldn't offer any solutions, except to provide feedback to Apple directly, in hopes that it might actually reach engineering. So if you haven't done that, please add your voice.

Unfortunately, the users, and the workflow being discussed here, are in the minority. Apple is not designing their software to appeal to us, but to the users I describe above, who never sync, or connect to iTunes, but only conduct management through their devices, and the iCloud/iTunes apps.

"...they put their faith on iCloud-only backups because it's simple, requires no thought ..."

Isn't this where we should be? The notion of files, folders, backups while tethered having to manually synch are concepts of the early 2000s.

iTunes is one of the worst Apple products there is. What is so great about backing up to it anyway? This is directly from Apple ... (About backups in iCloud and iTunes - Apple Support)

An iTunes backup includes nearly all of your device's data and settings. An iTunes backup doesn't include:

• Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to iBooks (You can back up this content using Transfer Purchases in iTunes.)
• Content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos
• Photos already stored in the cloud, like My Photo Stream, and iCloud Photo Library
• Touch ID settings
• Apple Pay information and settings
• Activity, Health, and Keychain data (To back up this content, you'll need to use Encrypted Backup in iTunes.)

The whole point of a back up is so you can restore to a certain point. To me, it should back up EVERYTHING. It almost backs up NOTHING. To that end why even back up to iTunes? You are going to essentially have to reinstall everything but the iOS and settings.

Personally I don't even want to manage my iOS device through another computer at all. Android is already there, you don't even have to purchase apps through an application, you just go to a website and after a few minutes it is on your device. That is where Apple should be.

Being a computer and IT consultant, I do not like Cloud anything. It's dangerous, prone to hacking and is often unreliable. I have been backing up my iPhone 5 to my computer since I got it some years ago and have never had a problem. With a restore, which I have only ever performed once, iTunes just reloaded all my applications and my phone was back to the same state as prior to the restore.

I have seen many horror stories of people who relied on Cloud services and who lost years of valuable data that was irreplaceable - photos, videos, documents, spreadsheets and other user-created material. I tell all my clients that it's easy to reload a piece of software if they lose it or it is corrupt and needs restoring, but if they lose the material that they have created themselves and do not have a backup, there's no hope to get it back.

The closest thing that I get to Cloud services is the Cloud that I control - the one in my NAS that is secured by such a whoppingly complex password that even the CIA would have a problem hacking into it. I don't believe that any Cloud service such as iCloud and all the rest of them are secure or reliable.

Audio books appear to be non-redownloadable!

If you try to delete one from a device the message is "Deleted audiobooks can't be re-downloaded. To save a copy, back up to iTunes for Mac or Windows before deleting'

So that's something that is NOT in the cloud and you would lose if you had not backed it up to PC.

As to what an iTunes back up of your device contains, every phone I have had since replacing my first iPhone (which was the second ever Phone released) has involved restoring the new phone from the back up of the old phone. Yes I have had to reinstall music, movies and books but not photo albums I had added (they automatically re-synched) and not Apps as they too re-synched including all the app data such as game scores. As the backup files in Mobilesynch are quite small something in the backup must point to the files within my iTunes folder.

I too do not trust the cloud, almost daily we read of web site hacks, and I appreciate Apple probably have a reasonably secure cloud but even so there are those out there who will make it their life's work to hack into it.

And as someone else pointed out, the internet or a data signal is not available everywhere, and a heck of a lot of people do not have superfast broadband.

Well, let's consider a scenario...

Apple has rolled out an iOS update.

Being a conscientious user, prior to applying the update, backups are made to both iCloud and iTunes.

Midway through the update process, using OTA on the device, it stalls, and the device goes into Recovery mode, demanding to be connected to iTunes.

iTunes 12 attempts to, but also fails to restore the device. Multiple times. But before than can even occur, iTunes must download the full .ipsw file, which weighs in at 1.5GB or more for most devices. What if the user had been stuck on a 1.5Mbs connection, or otherwise shaky connection? How long would that .ipsw download have taken?

Last ditch effort is made, using an earlier version of iTunes, which, for whatever reason, is able to successfully restore the device. Hallelujah.

Ok, now let's try to restore from iCloud backup. What? That's not even an option, because it had failed.

Good thing the iTunes backup is intact, and all the apps and media content are all on local storage (which negates the need for them to be part of the backup; also note that Transfers no longer work, which is the reason this topic was started to begin with). Even so, transferring roughly 30GB of data takes at least half an hour through a direct connection. How long would it have taken through iCloud, had it worked, which has notoriously slow restorations?

What if the user had never synced and backed up to iTunes? They'd be left without ANY safety net, and would have to start from scratch. How much time and effort would that require? On top of that, add in the time to install and set up iTunes, as a possible remedy, or trekking down to the local Apple store, if there is one nearby, for help. But then...what? The next available Genius appointment is four or five days out? Or, try to get on the walk in list, if the store even allows one? That's a three hour wait.

Of course, in Apple's world, where iCloud is 100% reliable, iOS updates are completely reliable, and everyone has a high-speed internet connection, there's absolutely no need for old tech like local sync and backups. iTunes? Who needs it? Right? Being without one's iOS device for the better part of the week is no sweat, right?

So yes, you're absolutely correct. All of us who are complaining are living in the past. Apple has got everyone covered through their perfect Cloud.

BTW, this wasn't a theoretical scenario -- it describes exactly how my 9.1 update transpired. As you might be able to tell by my nick, I've been around the block a few times with technology. My position comes from experience, not blindly consuming whatever Kool-Aid a tech company wishes to dispense.

Absolute beauty your entry. Thanks.

We LOVE Apple products (don't know Android/Windows at all), but we're no Fanboys. Do not let dictate Apple what WE need. Last Apple updates (iTunes/iOS9 syncing) have destroyed our professional workflow (update Apps on iPad, try the version out, sync/back up to iTunes at the end of the week; Voilà ... no more). 30+ teachers affected. No need to feel like a minority here - as the Fanboys seem to imply.

We LOVE Apple, but making changes like the last ones, and forcing loyal customers to adjust to a world we didn't ask for, or worse wasn't explained to us, is as close to being unethical as it gets.

"It just works" does not not apply anymore. Fanboys' (they do know their Apple stuff, but only what suits THEM) arguments in this forum is simple: Let's drink the Kool-Aid. Apple, I worship you, and you can do whatever you want to us. We'II follow you wherever you lead us. And when does iPhone 7S, iPad Air3, iPad Pro 2 come out? We can't wait ...

You are right. This exact thing happened to a friend of mine the other day. His phone was trashed during an update and it took him 6 hours on the phone to Apple consultants in Australia, USA and the Philippines before he managed to restore his iPhone to the default. But an OS backup on his computer would have restored his iPhone to some earlier time and as far as apps are concerned, they could all be downloaded again.

This happened to me too. I am visiting my parents who live in the mountains of southern Oregon and who have a satellite connection. I had just upgraded to an iPhone 6s and gave my old iPhone 6 to my daughter who came to visit from Colorado. She did not bring her computer so we created a new account for her on my computer, and then backed up her old iPhone using that account and her Apple ID. We then switched her over to my old phone and expected to be able to restore her phone from the back up on my computer. It would only restore the apps that I have previously downloaded with my phone, and would not restore the apps that I had not previously downloaded. She is now here for 2 weeks with a severely crippled phone. I hope she can restore everything when she gets back home. Time will tell, but I won't hold my breath.

There is absolutely no way that we can restore from an iCloud account over my Dad's satellite connection. What good is a backup that doesn't work.

Apple ][ Forever wrote:

....

Of course, in Apple's world, where iCloud is 100% reliable, iOS updates are completely reliable, and everyone has a high-speed internet connection, there's absolutely no need for old tech like local sync and backups. iTunes? Who needs it? Right? Being without one's iOS device for the better part of the week is no sweat, right?

So yes, you're absolutely correct. All of us who are complaining are living in the past. Apple has got everyone covered through their perfect Cloud.

...

Gee, you mean it isn't a perfect world???????

I for one always believe Murphy is always lurking around and there is no such thing

a too many backups.

I think my issue is the one in this thread.

I am having difficulty syncing any new music I add to i-tunes to my iPod touch.

It's fine for new purchases I make on the itunes store to my computer but that's because it's downloaded through itunes Store not the ipod Touch.

I right click on my iPod touch and click on sync just like before and the sync wheel spins and does not do anything.

Any advice please?

I have the same problem. It's syncing, but apps do not get from iPhone to iTunes.

Going on the litany of problems and complaints, it seems that Apple has really stuffed a lot of things up with iOS 9 and the latest iTunes. The thing is that all this worked brilliantly in iOS8 and iOS 7. Apps synced, the critical apps such as Contacts, Calendar and Notes worked just fine.

So what the **** happened? Did the Apple developers go on a bender and stuff up everything they touched when programming iOS 9? You really have to wonder what the **** is wrong with Apple, when it allows its flagship phone operating system to have this many problems.

This is the sort of thing that will see people ditch their iPhones and move to other platforms.

To: Apple ][ Forever: You are right on with your assessment. They (Apple, Google, etc.) want to lock us into their ecosystems and use all of their cloud based services. This drives recurring revenue for their various subscription services. I realize that it is easier for these companies to support very large numbers of users when they are using common backup solutions and their content is in the cloud. Look at how they are trying to drive a new business model for phone hardware - free upgrades, just keep playing them $xx per month forever.