Apple → iOS7 devices cannot update apps

I have a few older devices that I kept on iOS7, some for testing, some because they're Jailbroken...

This morning I attempted to update an app on one of them, and i click update button and it opens the app instead of downloading updates.

I tried this on two other devices and it's the same thing. Hooking up to iTunes syncs the device, but does not update the apps.

This is on iPhone 4, iPhone 5 and iPad 4.

What the heck is happening? It can't be Apple forcing iOS8 on them, the iPhone 4 cannot run it and it's doing the same thing.

It's happening here to on all my iOS 7 devices.

WTF is going on with Apple, sheesh... fuckup after fuckup lately.

My iPhone 5 just started updating again. But my iPhone 4, iPad mini (non-retina) and iPad 3 are not updating yet (just opens up the app).

This is bloody ridiculous. They're still not updating, just opening the freakin app when you click update. Update all is also grayed out!

Probably because we now live in a 1 year, 1 iOS cycle. It's too short for quality.

Stable
Quick
Annual

chose two.

iTunes will not download an updated application if it requires iOS8 for the update. I have a number of applications that errored that way before I moved to iOS8. This is not Apple (unless it's an Apple created app); rather, it's the app vendor who made the decision to upgrade their application such that it requires iOS8. The older version will continue to run on iOS7.

No, these app updates are not iOS8 only. My iPad which i havent touched for a week or so had like 30 updates. none of them would update.

Got a bunch of apps that need updates. Tried one and it updated ok. Still on iOS 7.

Just updated 4 on iOS 7 here.

Name a few of the apps

What about Update All?

Update all is grayed out.

I was able to sync it with iTunes and updated the apps this way this morning on my iPhone 5. however two updates have popped up since and they still do not update automatically.

Here's a short clip of what's happening... notice update all is grayed out.

iPhone 4s, iOS 7.1.2. Just updated a couple of apps OTA. Update all not grayed out.

Hmm, interesting... I don't know if makes any sense, but all of these devices were running 7.0.4. I updated the old iPhone 4 to 7.1.2 (highest it can run) and presto the updates became available. But the iPad4 and iPhone5 remain on 7.0.4 and cannot update.

I'll update the iPhone5 to iOS8 and try it later...

Updated the iPhone 5 to iOS8, and it updates just fine... My guess is that Apple somehow stopped allowing anything than the latest iOS7 to update apps with a strange side effect of opening the app instead of presenting some kind of error.

I have this problem too. I won't update because my devices are Jailbroken. Deleting and re-installing the apps works.

I now think the problem lies with the App Store rather than anything else. The apps that I deleted and re-installed now need to be updated again. Among them are apps that were last updated on, for example, October 1.

I had this problem too on a JB iOS 5S (7.0.x).

Just wound up turning automatic updates on and it's doing it automatically now.

I think Apple screwed something up.

i found a roundabout solution cause i also have ios 7.0.4 jb. if u search for the app and click it it updates just fine. bring it on apple,we will find a way!

Is it because the updates are IOS 8 only?

This could very well be; I distinctly recall the same thing happening when iOS 7 was released and my jailbroken iPhone (iOS 6.x) had a lot of updates available -- for iOS 7 only. But the notifications remained for several weeks after the release of iOS 7....

Guys, if you don't want to update to ios8, just enable the auto-update in settings and the apps will update just fine. You can turn that off after the updates are completed.

Yeah, the auto update works fine... Still, I wonder what all of a sudden made it stop working on 7.0.4.. is it Jailbreak related?

Guys, to those saying use auto update, that does not work either.

The workaround suggested (going via "Purchased") does update the app, but the system is broken. All of our ios7 devices have the same issue. This is really poor.

It may be that I hadn't updated to latest version of ios7 prior to ios8 release. So now that looks like my only option. Not something I wanted to do just yet.

It's very poor from Apple. No recognition of issue either.

trip advisor

Mine too. IPhone 5s. Not updating just opening the apps. Haven't updated to iOS 8 and won't for awhile. Will try the workarounds.

Same problem here with iPhone 4s running 7.0.6. I've tried numerous solutions with no results. I'm not inclined to update to 8.0.2 and have to deal with all the reported issues. I've activated auto updates which seems to be working but still want the ability to do manual updates. I'm really getting tired of this endless cycle of trying to keep my iPhone working after every iOS update. Android is starting to look more appealing.

My two cents. I had 57 apps requiring an update yesterday. The ones I tried to update simply opened the app. "Update All", of course, is grayed out.

I went through the update descriptions one at a time and skipped all that had "ios 8" in the description. For each of the other updates, I switched to the "Purchase" tab and found that app and pressed "Open". In almost every case, the update happened, a few opened the app. Unfortunately I still have 42 apps that I can't update. Cruel joke that in the update tab the button that says "update" opens the app, but in the purchased tab the button that says "open" updates the app!

I'm pretty sure the one's that didn't update were also ios 8-related updates, they just didn't mention it in the update description.

This is an absolutely ridiculous situation and I'm frankly surprised that Apple let this one get through. (I know, I shouldn't be surprised). Does anyone know a reason why an update that includes ios 8 support should not be allowed on an ios 7 device? If it's a problem, why can't the app store simply not list such updates?

One more comment - I strongly advice against trying the auto-update approach. I have a few apps that I rely on every day, and a couple became useless after being updated. I prefer to wait a while and read the reviews before I update.