IOS7 will not work with current version of iTunes

Question

My phone has had a recurring problem with the mic not working unless the phone was in speaker mode. I haven't bothered to update to iOS7 before now, but finally got annoyed with not being able to have a phone call in public, so I attempted to restore (which several posts on the topic recommended). Connected phone to iTunes, backed up, clicked "restore", got a pop-up saying that it couldn't restore the phone because I was still running iOS6.
Figured, what the heck, iOS7 can't be that bad, decided to update. All the while, my phone was connected to my computer, which is running iTunes version 10.6.3. Not once did I get any sort of warning, notification, pop-up, anything letting me know that iOS7 was not compatible with this version of iTunes. Since my phone was pretty much out of memory, I actually deleted all of my music so that I could download the update, knowing that it would be able to be replaced as soon as the update was finished. Waited for the update to download and install, clicked "Sync" on my computer, there's my pop-up. Attempted to download iTunes 11, won't let me because my computer is still running Mac OSX 10.5, because I don't feel the need to buy a new laptop every 2 years.
My computer was purchased (new) in '09, not even a full five years ago. I understand that Apple changes constantly, but the fact that I now have NO way to restore my phone, NO music, NO way to back my phone up without a wireless connection, is frankly a pile of crap. I can't even talk to tech support about this without paying $19 for an internet conversation because I purchased my phone 13 whole months ago.
I've been a huge proponent of Apple ever since I got my computer. I've recommended them to countless friends because my computer has lasted five years without a single problem, no significant slow-down, etc. It's great to find out that the fact that Apple made such a great product is the same fact that's causing me to have to write this long, drawn out, very livid post that is essentially a giant plea of: short of getting a new computer (because um, no, I'm not doing what Apple wants and spending more money so that two products made by the same freaking company are compatible), how do I restore my phone and get my music back? I know that anything purchased on the iTunes store can be downloaded to my phone, but the vast majority was from CDs.

Answer 1

cynecasey wrote:
... my computer is still running Mac OSX 10.5, because I don't feel the need to buy a new laptop every 2 years.
You have written a very long story, and I admit I have skipped most of it.  But I think the question is you are on iOS 7, and cannot get the latest version of iTunes (11.1.5) on your computer because your OS X is too old.
The fact that you chose not to update your hardware does not mean you could not update your software!
OS X 10.5 is very old (about four years).  iTunes 11.1.5 (current version) requires at least OS X  10.6.8 to run.  Very likely, you could upgrade your computer's software to at least OS X 10.6.8 and then download the current iTunes on it.
You would start here:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
Then you would update the OS X 10.6 to OS X 10.6.8 over the air, then download iTunes (or update to a later OS X, as the current version is 10.9.2).