Can a trademark be used in a phrase without permission

That depends upon the phrase and the use.

The value of the trademark is: 1) as a source identifier; and 2) as an identifier of quality. You can run into trouble when you start confusing sources of goods or start using somone's mark to imply a quality of your own. I would suggest not using the aforementioned phrase without seeking permission of the trademark owner. If use of the mark is necessary to tell your customer how to obtain your product (i.e., "the app can be found on iTunes." iTunes is a trademark used in a phrase), there is some fair use allowance, but what you have described does not provide for that same fair use. Good luck, Todd