The AnyTrans update brings back the good stuff iTunes threw out

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The release of AnyTrans 7 revives three popular iTunes features that Apple ditched last year.
The release of AnyTrans 7 revives three popular iTunes features that Apple ditched last year.
Photo: iMobie

This post is presented by iMobie.

Last year, iTunes 12.7 launched as a version “focused” on music, TV shows, podcasts and audiobooks. The redesign was aimed at cutting bloat, so functions like the App Store, home screen arrangement, and ringtone editing got nixed. Not everyone was happy about that.

iMobie’s AnyTrans has always presented itself as a more functional alternative to iTunes. And with the release of AnyTrans 7, iMobie included the stuff that iTunes threw out in 12.7. In addition to a brand new user interface, it includes an app downloader, a ringtone manager and a Home screen manager.

Now, anyone who misses the features iTunes cut out can have them back.

AnyTrans 7: A great iTunes alternative

The AnyTrans App Downloader.
AnyTrans’ new App Downloader is a home base for all your iOS apps.
Screenshot: iMobie

AnyTrans is all about offering a better alternative to iTunes. The two apps do a lot of the same things, like two-way syncing, backups and data transfer. But AnyTrans is easier to use. And with AnyTrans 7’s new features, it’s more powerful as well.

Here’s what they are and what they do:

App Downloader

The new App Downloader offers a home base for your iOS apps. Just type the app into the search bar, and you can download them straight to AnyTrans for use on any device.

Each app backs up locally. So, even if it’s not available on the App Store, you can restore it to any version you like. It’s basically like having the App Store back. In fact, it’s built right on top of the official App Store Search API, meaning you’re interacting with the same database that previous versions of iTunes used.

Home Screen Manager

You can place apps with the Home Screen Manager. This feature needs no introduction, unless iTunes 12.7 is the first version you’ve used. Just plug in your iDevice, and you can move all its Home screen apps around on your computer screen, like you’d do on the device itself.

For many, this long-lost feature proved easier than smearing icons around on the touchscreen. And some extras in the AnyTrans version make it even better. For example, you can automatically organize apps according to color, category or custom settings. It also will remove unused apps, and you can save favorite arrangements to bring back later.

Ringtone Manager

You can say a lot about yourself with a ringtone, so it’s nice to see the return of the Ringtone Manager feature in AnyTrans 7. Just upload a song or recording — in .mp3, .m4a, .wma, .wav, .flac or another format.

You can use audio files from your computer, iTunes library, iOS device or YouTube to make a ringtone. From there, you can trim it right in the app using an intuitive editor. There’s no intermediate step, either. You just cut the track and make it your ringtone.

Get AnyTrans for any phone

AnyTrans 7 offers a way to seamlessly switch from any iPhone to a brand new one. And with new iPhones coming soon, it’s a good time to put some extra tools at your disposal.

AnyTrans works wonders on Mac and iOS (and there are versions for Android and Windows devices, too). If you’re looking for a way out of iTunes, give AnyTrans a try.

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