Is iTunes required for iOS7 iPhone to trust PC with Windows 7? Every time I connect my iPhone 5S (7.0.3, but have had this issue since 7.0 with both 5S and iPhone 4) to my computer (Latitude E6410 with Windows 7 Pro) I get prompted to Trust the computer. I trust it, and each time I reconnect the USB cable, the prompt returns.

I am not alone. 

Googling this issue, it seems to affect a large number of Windows 7 users. There isn't a single solution that appears to work for everyone, but this one seems to have helped some:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1567

However, it presupposes the presence of the AMDS service. I do not have this service, I presume because I do not have iTunes installed (and I would prefer not to install it). Nowhere could I find any information from Apple about whether iTunes is required for Trust. 
So my questions are:
(a) is it true the iTunes is required for establishing "Trust"?
and 
(b) if so, is there a workaround?

Note: this post (related to Linux) would imply to me that it should work without iTunes:
iOS7 won&#39;t trust linux computer
Definitely yes. You must have iTunes installed in order for the &quot;Trust computer&quot; option to be remembered.
What you can do is the following:

Temporarily install iTunes, do not run the program itself on your computer

Connect the iPhone and tap &quot;Trust&quot;

Go to the newly-created Apple Lockdown folder on Win 7 it is found here:
C:\ProgramData\Apple\Lockdown

Copy the whole folder and paste it to a location you can remember (i.e. PC Desktop)

Fully uninstall iTunes from your computer

Install the iOS drivers without installing iTunes (these drivers are needed in order for your PC to correctly recognize the iPhone

Restart PC if needed

Navigate to:  C:\ProgramData\

Add a new folder named &quot;Apple&quot; and inside it paste the &quot;Lockdown&quot; folder along with its contents.

This will keep your iPhone trust setting without the need for iTunes being installed