Last year, Apple removed the App Store from iTunes. Soon after, however, Apple quietly released a special edition of iTunes that retains access to the App Store for "certain business partners" who "might still need to use iTunes to install apps."

macos mojave itunes apple configurator
Apple provides a download page on its website for the special edition of iTunes, which originally had a version number of 12.6.3. Two updates have since been released, including version 12.6.4 and the current version 12.6.5.

As brought to our attention by a MacRumors reader, and confirmed by our own testing, however, iTunes 12.6.5 fails to install on Mac systems updated to the public release of macOS Mojave this week. It also appears that the previous 12.6.3 and 12.6.4 versions do not function properly on macOS Mojave.

It's unclear if Apple does not plan on supporting the special edition of iTunes on macOS Mojave, or simply hasn't updated it yet. In the meantime, Apple Configurator can be used to mass-deploy apps on iOS devices from a Mac.

Tag: iTunes
Related Forums: macOS Mojave, Mac Apps

Top Rated Comments

Schranke Avatar
86 months ago
How about apple make a special version of iTunes which only contains music?
Nothing else, note even the connect thingy or other “social media” features, just music.

One can dream
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
86 months ago
Why is this surprising? Mojave moved things so it doesn't have to be within iTunes. Should one expect it to be available in two places?
Yes, yes they should. It's why the special edition exists.
...that retains access to the App Store for "certain business partners" who "might still need to use iTunes to install apps.
Mojave doesn't obviate the needs of those business partners.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B4U Avatar
86 months ago
What does this even mean? iTunes works fine, version 12.9..... downloads with Mojave. I have no idea what all this 12.6 jibber jabber is, seems like out of date version. Maybe someone could just state clearly?
Please read the article one more time.
It clearly says this iTunes version was special released after 12.7 came out with AppStore still available.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
efecanarar Avatar
66 months ago
It's been a week since "most qualified people" at Apple looked into the problem. Any news?
Sorry for making you wait. I got the good news today. The problem is in the server, Apple software team is aware of this and they are working on it. They said that the problem will be fixed soon.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannys1 Avatar
86 months ago
How about apple make a special version of iTunes which only contains music?
Nothing else, note even the connect thingy or other “social media” features, just music.

One can dream
That's all it really contains now - it has tabs for movies, audiobooks and podcasts but you have to change the interface to get to them. Mine sits on the music tab the majority of the time and all it contains is music, doesn't even mention "social media" features as you say anywhere.

I'm not sure how anyone could complain about the way iTunes is laid out now.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Janichsan Avatar
86 months ago
Why is this surprising? Mojave moved things so it doesn't have to be within iTunes. Should one expect it to be available in two places?
The iOS App Store and iOS app management under macOS is not available in two places. It always only was in iTunes and since the initial removal of these features in iTunes 12.7 (which lead to a significant backlash) has never been available anywhere else on the Mac. In fact, with the current iTunes 12.9, these features are available at no places at all.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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