Friends Kingdom: [iPad] syncing updated apps

For years I've been syncing via USB cable to my PC, and the sync also
updated apps in the process from the updated apps in my library,
which I d/l in a bunch w/ no trouble -- push "go" & go do something
else for a while.

Now it doesn't.

I've had to separately update *every app* on *each device* over wifi.
And of course remember to plug it in to power first so the battery won't
be all run down by the time it finishes.

Either that or go through the *entire* app list for each device when it's
connected so I can tick the "Update" box for *each* app.

HOW AGGRAVATING.

Instead of one d/l to my PC and a quick (and automatic) update over USB,
(sometimes doing two devices at once while I go off elsewhere)
each device gets tied up for quite a long time (& can interfere with other
d/l or streaming I may want to do at the same time) if I don't keep up
practically every day. Some of the updates are quite large.

Anybody know what gives with this?
or when/why it's doing it like that now?

What's the point of having apps in the PC iTunes library if you can't do a
wired-sync-update??

I've checked every setting I can think of & don't see anything pertinent in
either iTunes or in any of the device settings.

I tried to sign in to the Apple support forum but it wouldn't let me --
kept wanting me to set up a new account.
I must be missing something, or have forgotten something.
{sigh}
bj