how do I update iPhone apps with new iTunes 12.7?

@capecoddan perhaps iMazing might help with some of the issues you're having? I've only used it to backup and restore my iOS devices but it has the ability to manage apps. Here's some info:

https://imazing.com/guides/how-to-install-apps-itunes-12-7

The solution appears to be to go back to iTunes 12.6. If enough people do this then perhaps apple will see the error of their ways in re-introduce app management into itunes.

http://osxdaily.com/2017/09/17/downgrade-itunes-12-7-to-itunes-12-6/

KimSR888 wrote:

This is AWFUL! What this means is that we will need to download updates separately for six different IOS devices in this household via wifi (slower), instead of downloading updates once via ethernet (fast) and just installing them. So, this one change means I'll use SIX TIMES more data and spend probably 15-20 times longer downloading all of them.

For managing multiple phones, take a look at Apple Configurator. It's in the Mac App Store.

You can uninstall iTune 12.7 and install the older version. There are plenty of links showing you how to do it. Make sure you change the auto update preferences to 'NO'

Apple... please take note: you're making a lot of people unhappy with this move. And unhappy customers stop buying..!!

I have iOS 6 on my child’s iPod and in iTunes 11 you could adjust app layout, download/delete apps, and generally play with the way it would be layed out. That was the same for iOS 9 and 10 on my phone and iPad with iTunes 11. Now with new update I have to do this with device and not the convenience of my Mac book pro. You see I hate it when a company takes away efficiencies for profit. They want to focus iTunes on movies and music. When I tried to restore from a back up I then couldn’t put all my downloaded and purchased apps right onto the device from my computer. You have to do this on the device. Maybe they will add this function to the App Store on my Mac to display the iPhone, pad and pod to focus on apps.

Apple removed this feature in 12.7 and didn't bother to tell anyone. I was told that Apple believes their users are more interested in music, podcasts and videos that in apps. Besides, their logic went, those of who use a lot of apps can always download than again from the app store. Well, that's just great! The idea that Apple felt that the ability for users to completely back up and to completely restore their Apple devices, including all apps, was no longer an important feature, is beyond me! Apparently, dropping this critical feature in 12.7 created such an uproar that now Apple has released 12.6.3 that restores this feature. I was able to download and install this release, but now I get the message, "The file “iTunes Library.itl” cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes. Would you like to download iTunes now?" Now, iTunes on my iMac is TOTALLY UNUSABLE. The newer version they want me to download is obviously the awful 12.7, but when I tell my iMac to go ahead and download the "newer version" of iTunes, I get a message that my software is up to date. I have researched the fix for this error message and can't find any recent fixes. The ones dating back several years are pretty technical and convoluted. Some users who tried got terrible results involving multiple copies of their music files. Fortunately, I was able to install and to run 12.6.3 on my old Windows 7 machine. Guess I'll be using that exclusively to back up and to restore my Apple devices.

This works for me downgrading to iTunes 12.6.3 🙂 https://goo.gl/YqJj4H

Collinwood1680 wrote:

There's an easy way to get Apple to stop all of this...........

What would happen if NOBODY updated to the latest versions of IOS, MacOS, or iTunes????

Well, that would show them. But, I suspect that the number of people still managing their apps through iTunes is very small. I'm sure that if you're one of that small number, it's quite upsetting. But, realistically, there probably aren't enough of you to make a blip on the feedback radar.

Take a look at Apple Configurator. It can replace some of the features that have been lost to you in iTunes.

Apple Configurator - Official Apple Support

Hanuman Hoffman wrote:

I don't know that it is related to the IOS 11, as I have not upgraded my IOS, but after installing itunes version 12.7, my apps are not appearing in sidebar when I mount my iPad.

iTunes 12.7 no longer has any support for apps whatsoever.

Apple wants us to download/update Apps directly from an iPhone or iPad now.

Why wouldn't you sync to a mac?

Because it's not necessary. The Mac is a superfluous middle-man in the link to iOS content—apps, music, and whatnot. With iPad Pro (e.g.) I rarely take my MacBook Pros out of the house. I've polled my friends, perhaps half a dozen of them. Not one connects their iPhone to iTunes, most can't remember when they used to do that. If an iOS app or other update is available, we get it via WiFi. We buy music and do all iOS networking that way, etc. I back up to iTunes on a Mac from time to time, perhaps not as often as I should.

Not everyone wants to use iCloud.

When you buy or update an app or buy music, it doesn't come from iCloud; it comes from Apple's servers. The difference is that Apple's servers are under Apple's control, while iCloud is a consumer product with the user in control of content. Recall that "cloud" is just hype for "remote server." Everyone who uses the Internet uses "the cloud," whether they realize it or not, because everything—web pages, email, all downloads—comes from remote servers.

As for using iCloud, one of the most important functions of my wife's and my iOS thingies is to keep our calendar, our contacts, and our password keychain synced with all devices, including our Macs. That requires iCloud.

You cant.

Apple must have a deal going with the internet providers because now we have to download the updates on each individual device instead of doing it on itunes and passing it on to all the devices. Increase your data allowance because it's only going to get worse.

I hope they fix this as I too just updated and found this to be annoying that I have to do everything from my device. If you restore a back up to a new device you still have to download everything onto that device.

See Managing apps with iTunes 12.7 or later. If you've already installed iTunes 12.7 and choose to revert to iTunes 12.6.3 you will need to restore a pre-12.7 version of your library database as described in Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash. Windows users also need to remove 12.7/12.7.1 before they can install 12.6.3. iTunes 12.6.3 supports iOS 11 and iPhone 8.

tt2

instead of crying about the issue, learn how to revert back the iTunes version or install iTunes 12.6.3 you have choices.