Apple releases iTunes 12.7.2 with minor bug fixes, improvements

AppleInsider

To go along with Wednesday's release of macOS 10.13.2 High Sierra, Apple pushed out a fresh version of iTunes that comes packed with minor app fixes and improvements.

Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail, saying only that the update contains "minor app and performance improvements." Apple said much the same of version 12.7.1 when that revision saw release in October.

The company is looking to refocus iTunes toward media content, noting the latest software iterations place an emphasis on music, movies, TV shows, podcasts and audiobooks.

Notably, Apple removed the iOS App Store from iTunes 12.7, released in September, meaning users are no longer able to sync and download iOS apps via the desktop media hub. Instead, Apple directs users to manage app and ringtone content directly on their iOS device.

Despite its lack of an iOS App Store, iTunes still serves as a hardware management interface with support for iOS 11 device syncing and backups. Whether Apple plans to break out iOS management completely in a future update, further de-bloating iTunes, is unknown.

The latest iTunes update arrives just hours after Apple pushed out macOS 10.13.2, a maintenance release with permanent fixes for a root user login flaw discovered last week. Apple's latest macOS version also includes support for introductory app pricing with auto-renewable subscriptions, expanded eGPU support and other minor additions.

Apple's iTunes 12.7.2 can be downloaded for free from the Mac App Store.

gadgetdon

They better not break out syncing. I've got a lot of content in my iTunes account, like Audible books or ripped CDs, that I sync to my devices.

appex

Resume playback?

bobolicious

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

edited December 2017

lkrupp

bobolicious said:

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

Let’s face it. No matter what Apple does it’s going to satisfy some and piss off others. The holier-than-thou comments whenever something is released that doesn’t conform to that person’s concept of how things should work is as sure as death and taxes. The negativity in these forums defies all logic. The term ‘useless to me’ because of some feature or lack thereof is standard fare these days. If all these commenters are as negative in their real ives as they are in online forums then they must lead exceedingly sad lives.

Of course there things that Apple does, features they change or remove, that I disagree with or don’t like but I don’t run around with my hair on fire screaming that all is lost. I try to adapt to the new way of doing things and send feedback to Apple on their feedback page. It doesn’t ruin my life or make the software ‘useless to me.’ Are people that OCD and unable to adapt to change?

edited December 2017

fastasleep

About to try out Configurator again to see if I can migrate to using that for managing apps/home screen layouts etc and move on from iTunes 12.6.3. I strongly agree with finding a way forward and not clinging to old ways of doing things, and it seems like Configurator takes care of what I was holding onto in iTunes. 

goldenclaw

I normally wouldn't mind the removal of this functionality if Apple didn't have the habit of removing items from the App Store that I have paid for. So I continue to use the old version of iTunes just so I can archive and restore apps that might get pulled. And you'd be surprised how many times I have had to do this.

Additionally, I find that sometimes I am at work and see a deal on an app that I want on my home iPad, so I buy it with iTunes at work.

bobolicious

lkrupp said:

bobolicious said:

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

Let’s face it. No matter what Apple does it’s going to satisfy some and piss off others. The holier-than-thou comments whenever something is released that doesn’t conform to that person’s concept of how things should work is as sure as death and taxes. The negativity in these forums defies all logic. The term ‘useless to me’ because of some feature or lack thereof is standard fare these days. If all these commenters are as negative in their real ives as they are in online forums then they must lead exceedingly sad lives.

Of course there things that Apple does, features they change or remove, that I disagree with or don’t like but I don’t run around with my hair on fire screaming that all is lost. I try to adapt to the new way of doing things and send feedback to Apple on their feedback page. It doesn’t ruin my life or make the software ‘useless to me.’ Are people that OCD and unable to adapt to change?

Hmmm well if 'holier than thou' references all these links I'd be surprised...?

How to downgrade iTunes 12.7 to 12.6 in macOS h... | Official Apple Support Communities

How to Downgrade iTunes 12.7 to iTunes 12.6

Downgrade to iTunes 12.6.3 if you want app support back - SlashGear

How to Downgrade iTunes 12.7 or 12.6 to Previous Version on Win/Mac

How to downgrade iTunes from 12.7 to 12.6 - Android iOS Pack

Downgrade iTunes 12.7 | Official Apple Support Communities

Downgrade to iTunes 12.6.3 if you want app support back

is this perhaps (like dropping raid) as structural a change that many seem to feel was a downgrade?
or might in the least have been warned and offered an alternate stream prior vs after the fact

is central app management kind of what the concept of a server is?
unless of course we want apple to track every move or app upgrade we make by forcing a sign in,
and multiplying bandwidth download requirements by every iOS device looking to update,
which in a 4 person 'family' home might go from 2x to 8x the bandwidth if all have iPhones and iPads...

wow - so much for the 'rest of us'

boiling the frogs...

edited December 2017

rayz2016

lkrupp said:

bobolicious said:

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

Let’s face it. No matter what Apple does it’s going to satisfy some and piss off others. The holier-than-thou comments whenever something is released that doesn’t conform to that person’s concept of how things should work is as sure as death and taxes. The negativity in these forums defies all logic. The term ‘useless to me’ because of some feature or lack thereof is standard fare these days. If all these commenters are as negative in their real ives as they are in online forums then they must lead exceedingly sad lives.

Of course there things that Apple does, features they change or remove, that I disagree with or don’t like but I don’t run around with my hair on fire screaming that all is lost. I try to adapt to the new way of doing things and send feedback to Apple on their feedback page. It doesn’t ruin my life or make the software ‘useless to me.’ Are people that OCD and unable to adapt to change?

I reckon Apple comes to this site for market research. If some change they make results in childish online tantrums here then they know that their customers are going to love it. 

Look at the folk here who keep demanding that Apple splits Apple Music into a separate app. 

mbenz1962

bobolicious said:

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

Actually the ability to create and manage software RAIDs returned with Disk utility 16.0 which was part of MacOS 10.12.  I have been using this feature since it was brought back (well over a year now).  I was also pretty miffed at this change in the release of El Capitan, because I bought two nice Thunderbolt drives specifically to make a RAID right before El Capitan dropped and was quite put out when I set down to make my first RAID array on my shiny new El Capitan install and couldn't find the option anywhere.  Long story short I started using the drives as normal extra storage until I found out the feature had returned in 10.12.

edited December 2017

gant75

I wonder if this version will restore lyrics appearing on iOS devices. Something happened in the last week whereby my personally added lyrics to CD-ripped songs in my iTunes no longer display those lyrics on the iPhone. Only Apple Music lyrics appear. I don't know where that change/oversight came from ... 11.2?

zroger73

This update broke my iTunes. It will no longer open - just a bouncing icon. Never had this problem before!

EDIT: Works after a reboot.

edited December 2017

mike1

goldenclaw said:

I normally wouldn't mind the removal of this functionality if Apple didn't have the habit of removing items from the App Store that I have paid for. So I continue to use the old version of iTunes just so I can archive and restore apps that might get pulled. And you'd be surprised how many times I have had to do this.

Additionally, I find that sometimes I am at work and see a deal on an app that I want on my home iPad, so I buy it with iTunes at work.

Apple only removes apps that have been left unsupported. Many times the app developers remove the app that you have paid for.

eightzero

Rayz2016 said:

lkrupp said:

bobolicious said:

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

Let’s face it. No matter what Apple does it’s going to satisfy some and piss off others. The holier-than-thou comments whenever something is released that doesn’t conform to that person’s concept of how things should work is as sure as death and taxes. The negativity in these forums defies all logic. The term ‘useless to me’ because of some feature or lack thereof is standard fare these days. If all these commenters are as negative in their real ives as they are in online forums then they must lead exceedingly sad lives.

Of course there things that Apple does, features they change or remove, that I disagree with or don’t like but I don’t run around with my hair on fire screaming that all is lost. I try to adapt to the new way of doing things and send feedback to Apple on their feedback page. It doesn’t ruin my life or make the software ‘useless to me.’ Are people that OCD and unable to adapt to change?

I reckon Apple comes to this site for market research. If some change they make results in childish online tantrums here then they know that their customers are going to love it. 

Look at the folk here who keep demanding that Apple splits Apple Music into a separate app. 

I would be very surprised if Apple does any market research like this at all. Hire a marketing company to provide analytics? Maybe. An employee (or employees) at One Infinite Loop who job it is to read blogs? I'm skeptical, but have no evidence either way.

Change is indeed the eventual process of all things. But technology choices are very personal, and it is fair for someone to express an opinion on them publicly. I easily disregard "useless to me" comments because the commentor may or may not have similar needs. In my view, if a functionality that I paid for and relied on is withdrawn in favor of something I cant adopt, or must now pay for, I am...cranky. I do understand technology becomes obsolete, but I have a refrigerator that is 20 years old that serves its function well. I should not be required to pay for a new one simply because a better one is available.

Yes, that metaphor breaks down quickly. I still have family members on AOL/AIM on iMacs 10+ years old that "work fine." They are pissed at Apple because on December 15, their machines won't work the way they did when they took them out of the box after paying for them. And they have something of a point.

edited December 2017

fastasleep

bobolicious said:

lkrupp said:

bobolicious said:

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

Let’s face it. No matter what Apple does it’s going to satisfy some and piss off others. The holier-than-thou comments whenever something is released that doesn’t conform to that person’s concept of how things should work is as sure as death and taxes. The negativity in these forums defies all logic. The term ‘useless to me’ because of some feature or lack thereof is standard fare these days. If all these commenters are as negative in their real ives as they are in online forums then they must lead exceedingly sad lives.

Of course there things that Apple does, features they change or remove, that I disagree with or don’t like but I don’t run around with my hair on fire screaming that all is lost. I try to adapt to the new way of doing things and send feedback to Apple on their feedback page. It doesn’t ruin my life or make the software ‘useless to me.’ Are people that OCD and unable to adapt to change?

and multiplying bandwidth download requirements by every iOS device looking to update,
which in a 4 person 'family' home might go from 2x to 8x the bandwidth if all have iPhones and iPads...

Use the Caching Server feature that moved from Server to the macOS Sharing preference pane. 

edited December 2017

fastasleep

eightzero said:

Rayz2016 said:

lkrupp said:

bobolicious said:

Can anyone verify if the move to 12.6.3 is still available after this push ?

Is "Release notes issued alongside iTunes version 12.7.2 provide little in the way of detail" reasonable?

Should a centralized app management option be basic?

Let the flames begin...

This feels as central as killing RAID support in El Capitan without warning, for all the users that might have had that set up natively, still not restored, unless I'm missing something...?

I mean really? Really?

Let’s face it. No matter what Apple does it’s going to satisfy some and piss off others. The holier-than-thou comments whenever something is released that doesn’t conform to that person’s concept of how things should work is as sure as death and taxes. The negativity in these forums defies all logic. The term ‘useless to me’ because of some feature or lack thereof is standard fare these days. If all these commenters are as negative in their real ives as they are in online forums then they must lead exceedingly sad lives.

Of course there things that Apple does, features they change or remove, that I disagree with or don’t like but I don’t run around with my hair on fire screaming that all is lost. I try to adapt to the new way of doing things and send feedback to Apple on their feedback page. It doesn’t ruin my life or make the software ‘useless to me.’ Are people that OCD and unable to adapt to change?

I reckon Apple comes to this site for market research. If some change they make results in childish online tantrums here then they know that their customers are going to love it. 

Look at the folk here who keep demanding that Apple splits Apple Music into a separate app. 

Yes, that metaphor breaks down quickly. I still have family members on AOL/AIM on iMacs 10+ years old that "work fine." They are pissed at Apple because on December 15, their machines won't work the way they did when they took them out of the box after paying for them. And they have something of a point.

And what kind of point is that? Why the hell would you blame Apple for AIM shutting down?