iTunes behavior changed?

[MacInWin]

I am running 10.11.4, IOS 9.3 on my iPhone. iTunes is 12.3.3.17. I have noted that some time in the past the update function for apps changed behavior. Before the change, any updated app I had downloaded would automatically download to the iPhone when I synced. I noticed that the process of syncing would go to the "Preparing to copy items" step and then immediately come to an end. When I looked at the list of apps, there were some marked "Update" and when I clicked on that tab, it changed to "Will Update." A sync now took longer, and the step "Preparing..." was followed by "Copying..."

So, has iTunes changed behavior or am I missing something? I looked in Preferences and can't see anything obvious. I'd really like NOT to have to download, then do a bunch of checking before I sync. And as it is, when I run the App store on the iPhone, it sees everything as needing updating and that consumes bandwidth that there is no reason to duplicate.

So, can I get iTunes to do what it used to do, just go ahead and update anything for which I download an update?

BTW, I put it in this forum because although it's technically an Application and also an iPhone application, it comes as part of OS X. If that's lousy logic, move it, please.

 

[IWT]

You are correct, Jake.

Some time ago (at least as early as 10.11.2), I found that iTunes does not automatically sync app updates in either direction.

In my case, I generally use automatic app update on my iOS devices. When I connect to iTunes, it no longer says something like "there are newer apps on your iPhone which are not in iTunes, do you want to copy them?" I realise you have bandwidth issues which would not suit this approach.

Equally, if I remember to update my apps in iTunes and sync, it does not copy them over to the iOS device.

So my experience mirrors yours. I've just assumed "that's how things are now". Maybe we are both missing some setting.

Ian

 

[MacInWin]

Thanks, Ian, I wasn't sure when it started. Normally I update the apps on the iPhone when I'm home so I'm using my WiFi. Then later, when iTunes prompts me that there are updates, I go ahead and update them there, so it never was obvious that the updates weren't being applied automatically. But I'm preparing for a trip to UK and was monitoring my data usage when I noticed that the sync process had changed. Not happy with the change and I cannot think of any reason for it to be made. What possible benefit is there to having an update downloaded to iTunes and then NOT syncing it to the iPhone when you connect?

Oh, well.

 

[IWT]

Let's wait for other replies, or at least confirmation of our experience.

We may both be doing something wrong!

Ian

PS Enjoy the UK. Weather here at the moment is pretty nasty. Should clear soon.....

 

[MacInWin]

Ian, we'll be there five weeks, so we hope to catch some warmer weather. We used to live there and have visited many times so we are prepared for the weather. If it's England, it's raining...

 

[chscag]

I usually update all my apps first using iTunes and then sync what I need to my phone and to my wife's. I have plenty of room on the iMac so don't mind storing the iOS apps and updates there as they take up very little space.

 

[pine man]

Am I glad this topic has been raised!

I have spent the last couple of days trying to make my iPhone update its apps via iTunes and failed. I assumed that the problem rested with my iPhone as it is an old one with iOS 7.1.2. Now I see it is behaving exactly the same as the more up to date versions.

The odd thing is that I also have a new iPad with iOS 9.3 and that does update apps when it syncs!!

I have the latest version of iTunes and have tried to sync the iPhone apps via WIFI and also USB cable.

 

[MacInWin]

I usually update all my apps first using iTunes and then sync what I need to my phone and to my wife's. I have plenty of room on the iMac so don't mind storing the iOS apps and updates there as they take up very little space.

It's not the space issue, it is that iTunes has changed behavior and now requires an extra step to update apps on sync. I store all my apps on the MBP, too, so that if I need to reinstall for any reason, I have it handy and don't have to re-download, but when I get the updates to the Mac in iTunes, I now have to ALSO open the Apps view with my iPhone attached, scan through the list of apps to see which ones have "Update" as a status and check them to have it change to "Will Update" to get iTunes to do the update. That's annoying and totally unhelpful. iTunes used to just go ahead and apply any updates when I synced without any other input. Frankly, this really feels like a bug and not a "feature" or a planned change. There is no valid purpose I can think of for NOT doing it the way it has been up to the recent versions. iTunes is now a real mess. Between this issue and the mess they made with podcasts, it's getting to be a really crappy application.

 

[MacInWin]

Ian, I just noticed that at the bottom of the window where it lists the apps on your iPhone when the iPhone is attached is a check box for "Automatically install new apps." Mine is unchecked. I don't have any pending updates with which I could test, but is your's checked? If it isn't, I wonder if by "new" Apple now means "updated" as well? I think I will check that and see what happens.

EDIT: And I just looked and the same location with the iPad attached not only has that box, but it also gives an option to pick just iPad or both iPad and iPhone apps to automatically install. That tells me that the sync process for the two devices is different, which may explain why the bug is present on the iPhone and not on the iPad, as pine man reported?

 

[IWT]

You are doing a great job as a detective, Jake. Really.

Now, in fact, when the iPhone is attached, in iTunes the box you mentioned WAS checked. But when I attached the iPad, the box was checked, but the option was "for iPad" only. I have now changed this to "iPad and iPhone".

Things are becoming clearer, thanks to you.

This may reinstate the transfer of updates FROM iTunes to the devices. However, my problem has been in the opposite direction as well. Because I have no bandwidth restrictions and good WiFi, I set my iPhone and iPad to update automatically. Therefore, in my case, more often than nought, my iOS devices are more up to date than iTunes when I connect them. What I miss from before, is the message that comes up saying there are updates on your device, do you want to transfer them to iTunes.

I do believe all your good work, assisted by pine man's helpful contribution, is paying off.

Ian

EDIT: just realised that the box says automatically install NEW apps. Not the same as updates.

 

[MacInWin]

Yeah, I was wondering if by "new" Apple included updates. I still don't have one to test with, but will report back once a new update comes along.

 

[chscag]

Yeah, I was wondering if by "new" Apple included updates. I still don't have one to test with, but will report back once a new update comes along.

I have both "Updates" and "Apps" set to "on" but don't really understand what Apple means by "new", unless they're referring to new updates. ? However, when I open iTunes and switch to Apps, it tells me how many Apps require an update but does not update them automatically.

 

[MacInWin]

chscag, this is where it gets confusing. If you open iTunes, then click on either the three dots and get Apps showing device attached or not, then on the Updates button at the top of that window, it will show you any pending updates that are on the iTunes store and NOT on the Mac. But if you then click on the icon for your iPhone or iPad, then it switches to the Summary tab of the iPhone information. In the left column are two sets of options, one labeled "Settings" and the other "On My Device" and in the Settings portion is an Apps option. Clicking that Apps option then displays all the Apps on your Mac and whether or not they are installed on the iDevice. Plus, it shows the various screens with the icons that are on the iDevice. So far, so good. So back to the Apps selection from the three dots menu to check for and download an app that is updated, which get the update to your Mac. Again. so far, so good. But now is where the unfortunate change comes in.

You used to be able to go to the Summary tab for the iDevice and simply click "Sync" and the updates you downloaded applied during the sync. Now, however, you have to return to the list of apps on that Apps page with the iDevice attached and search the Apps column to find the ones whose action button says "Update" and select them. That's ugly, inefficient, and serves zero purpose. And there is no way to sort the apps to get the candidates for updating to be together, which means you have to scroll through the apps one at a time to look at the tab. That's not "Apple efficiency."

Can you tell us where you have "Updates" set to "on?" I can't find any setting for that, just the one checkbox I found earlier for new.

 

[pine man]

When I open iTunes all off my Apps are listed. If I check to see if there are any updates, and there are, I have to manually update them within iTunes.

Next I connect my iPhone and check the list of Apps in it and several have Update next to them. I click on those and it changes to Will Update. Hit the sync button and.......nothing happens the Apps are not updated and remain showing Will Update.

I connect my iPad and the same Apps show Update I click on them and hit the sync button and.... they are all updated!!!

This done by either WIFI or USB cable.

BUT while out today with mobile data enabled I was able to update one of my Apps that would not update through iTunes.

 

[chscag]

You used to be able to go to the Summary tab for the iDevice and simply click "Sync" and the updates you downloaded applied during the sync. Now, however, you have to return to the list of apps on that Apps page with the iDevice attached and search the Apps column to find the ones whose action button says "Update" and select them. That's ugly, inefficient, and serves zero purpose. And there is no way to sort the apps to get the candidates for updating to be together, which means you have to scroll through the apps one at a time to look at the tab. That's not "Apple efficiency."

Can you tell us where you have "Updates" set to "on?" I can't find any setting for that, just the one checkbox I found earlier for new.

I noticed the same thing as you did regarding iTunes and it does require extra steps whereas before it didn't. It can be especially annoying when you have 3 devices to update as I normally do.

As for where the "Updates" set to "On" are... I was referring to my iPhone 6+ and my wife's iPhone 6s+, not iTunes. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[MacInWin]

pine man, I don't know what is going on with your iPhone. In my system, if it shows Will Update and I sync, the updates apply. Now I will say that if you have already updated the app over the air (WiFI or Cellular), then a newly downloaded update won't show the "Update" or "Will Update" status and obviously won't update the already-updated app. But about the only reason an app won't update to your iPhone is if it is an iPad-only app.

 

[pine man]

They are definitely Apps for my iPhone. They show Will Update but don't update when sync is selected. When I was out and about yesterday and updated using mobile data rather than iTunes the App that I updated now shows as Remove in iTunes.

Maybe it is the age of my phone and maybe it's just the excuse I nee to justify a new one;-)

 

[IWT]

it's just the excuse I need to justify a new one

Absolutely, pine man. Go for it. Get a new one. You have our support!;D

Ian

 

[pine man]

Just one more obstacle then but if you say so I'm sure she'll agree.

 

[MacInWin]

More weirdness. I just tried my wife's 5s, running 9.3, same version iTunes. She had some updates, so I downloaded them to iTunes, then synced and they all installed! So whatever is going on is not universal. I wonder if it's somehow unique to the iPhone version?