How to sync reading progress across devices?

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Level 1

42 points

How to sync reading progress across devices?

Let's say I managed somehow to have the library of books on various devices in sync. This is some success, as sometimes sync status between Apple devices is not that straightforward as in other services.

So now, let's say I started reading a book on my iPhone and I am at 10% of advancement.

So how to continue reading on iPad, and not having to manually look for the place I stopped reading on the iPhone? When I was using Kindle I got the message "Furthest reading is at location 100 from device iPhone. Do you want to continue reading where you left off?" and when I clicked 'yes' I was moved to the exact spot that I finished on the other device. Unfortunately for Apple it seems not possible.

So how to achieve this very simple, and - I believe - quite common workflow, to continue reading on another device?

DISCLAIMERS in case someone thinks I am trolling or something:

all devices have the same Apple ID
yes, I understand that the sync is done through so-called 'internet', yes I am using it on all devices, by the service of so-called wifi
yes, all the devices have current software from Apple
yes, they are charged and when I press the button the screen goes lit
yes, I usually don't have sync problems with other services, like Google Photos, Spotify, Evernote, Dropbox etc. The constant problem is with synchronization over iCloud: Books, Reminders, Notes, Photos... why are Apple services so unpredictable and buggy while other vendors can just make it work?

iPhone 14 Pro

Posted on Aug 15, 2023 9:23 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Piotr Kowal Author

Level 1

42 points

Aug 15, 2023 10:43 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

I meant that it works like it is beta. I don't bother installing beta software as I am quite sure it works even worse than released one which already is very far from being usable.

So, I spent thousands of dollars for Apple devices, I am using latest released version of software (not beta) everywhere and it doesn't sync. Is there any kind of solution for this? Buying paid software that does the advertised job?

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Answer 2

Piotr Kowal Author

Level 1

42 points

Aug 15, 2023 9:26 AM in response to Piotr Kowal

Once again, the reading scenario:

I open a book on iPhone
I see title of the book and I start reading, moving to next page and the next etc.
I turn off the screen of the iPhone
Few hours later I want to continue reading, this time on iPad
I open Books on iPad and I tap the book I want to CONTINUE TO READ
The book opens on title page
I need to manually scroll to the same position that I finished on iPhone

ADDITIONAL DISCLAIMERS:

all devices are one the same AppleID (in case you missed it in the previous post)
I have sync turned on - and it EVEN SOMETIMES WORKS!!! When I upload a book to one device it USUALLY show up on another (usually, but not in 100% cases, because Apple software is beta and works like beta)

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Answer 3

Piotr Kowal Author

Level 1

42 points

Aug 15, 2023 1:00 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Do you have some kind of additional subscription for using Apple products bug-free?

Here are issues I raised with Apple support in recent times, none of which is solved:

dock icons crippled when minimized
my own AirPods Pro 2 are 'following' me, with notification about some item being close to me; even getting new set from Apple service didn't solve it, which is what I expected due to issue being poor programming
sound sharing to another pair of AirPods drops randomly 3-5 minutes after starting
CMD+SHIFT+5 to do the screenshot to Messages doesn't work on any of my machines
one of my computers is asking me log in to iCloud again every three days
automations to control Hue lights usually doesn't work - the lights doesn't turn on on set times
asking Siri on HomePod to do anything does nothing; asking the exact same thing (turn on the lights) to Google does the thing without delay
shortcuts suddenly stopped working on HomePod - that's for the better, it is easier and faster to look for iPhone and choose the action from there rather than using crippled Siri
dark mode not turning on after sunset on one of the macs
SMSs are not syncing between devices what requires signing out and in again

So in my view Apple software is less than mediocre. And on the Special Events everything works. It seems to me like I am the marketing victim, that trusted the things they show me, while they just lie or show some kind of prerecorded movie or animation.

I am solving the issue after issue with getting rid of worthless services and devices.

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Answer 4

Aug 15, 2023 9:34 AM in response to Piotr Kowal

Piotr Kowal wrote:

• I have sync turned on - and it EVEN SOMETIMES WORKS!!! When I upload a book to one device it USUALLY show up on another (usually, but not in 100% cases, because Apple software is beta and works like beta)

If you hare using beta software, we can't help you. Discussion of beta software is prohibited in the public forums.

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Answer 5

Aug 15, 2023 10:51 AM in response to Piotr Kowal

I don't know why it doesn't for you. I just verified that on my iPhone, MBA and iPad, it works perfectly. I have the latest version of the operating system on all devices. They are all connected to the same Apple ID.

If Books doesn't work for you and Kindle did, I would recommend you go back to Kindle.

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Answer 6

Aug 15, 2023 11:06 AM in response to Piotr Kowal

Piotr Kowal wrote:

That's official answer? To stop using Apple products and don't buy them anymore? You might be right.

No, of course it's not an official answer. You won't get an official answer here in this user-to-user forum.

But for the time being I'd like to know how to resolve the problem I stated.

It's certainly up to you to decide that's what you want to do. Personally, I don't waste a lot of time troubleshooting tech when there's another easy, working solution. Life is too short for me to do otherwise.

Best of luck.

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Answer 7

Piotr Kowal Author

Level 1

42 points

Aug 15, 2023 11:18 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright wrote:

It's certainly up to you to decide that's what you want to do. Personally, I don't waste a lot of time troubleshooting tech when there's another easy, working solution. Life is too short for me to do otherwise.

Best of luck.

Thank you. And yes, I mean it. I just made a huge mistake some time ago to switch to Apple ecosystem. But this is suitable only for people who don't expect tech to work. And I just reinstalled the Kindle app I was using years ago and you know what...? They still have the button "sync to furthest page read" and it works between devices. The same devices, the same internet connectivity, Apple software doesn't work, other software works. Nice :). So you kind of solved my problem.

Recent days I moved back from Safari to Chrome and suddenly internet got better (including this forum!).

I also switched back from Apple Music to Spotify and now playing music is no longer pain of constant freezes, crashes, seeing the exclamation mark when trying to AirPlay audio on HomePod. Suddenly it works as well :).

And I learnt today from other thread, that AppleTV is preventing from using Sidecar properly and the functionality better works when AppleTV is not plugged in. I know what useless piece of hardware I will sell next :).

So, why is Apple even bothering to release hopelessly useless pieces of software?

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Answer 8

Aug 15, 2023 12:14 PM in response to Piotr Kowal

Piotr Kowal wrote:

And I learnt today from other thread, that AppleTV is preventing from using Sidecar properly and the functionality better works when AppleTV is not plugged in.

I have an Apple TV. It does not prevent me from using Sidecar.

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Answer 9

Aug 15, 2023 1:41 PM in response to Piotr Kowal

Piotr Kowal wrote:

• Do you have some kind of additional subscription for using Apple products bug-free?

No, though I admit that I don't have many problems.

• my own AirPods Pro 2 are 'following' me, with notification about some item being close to me; even getting new set from Apple service didn't solve it, which is what I expected due to issue being poor programming

That has happened to me a couple of times. It honestly doesn't stress me out very much.

• CMD+SHIFT+5 to do the screenshot to Messages doesn't work on any of my machines

Not an issue.

• one of my computers is asking me log in to iCloud again every three days

There are a number of reasons why you might need to log into iCloud after a time. Deleting cookies, signing into certain other Apple services. Yes, it happens to me once in a great while. Again, not a big deal.

• automations to control Hue lights usually doesn't work - the lights doesn't turn on on set times

Haven't had problems with my Hue lights in years. There were a couple of threads recently by people who were having problems. Someone who reported that they were a Hue representative talked them through updating their bridge firmware, if I recall correctly. Seem to resolve most people's problems. So, that wasn't even an Apple issue.

• asking Siri on HomePod to do anything does nothing; asking the exact same thing (turn on the lights) to Google does the thing without delay

I don't have a HomePod but Siri works just fine on all of my other devices.

• SMSs are not syncing between devices what requires signing out and in again

I've never had a problem with that. I've had to reactivate Text Message Forwarding when getting a new phone but it's hardly a big deal.

I am solving the issue after issue with getting rid of worthless services and devices.

It sounds as if what I would consider small, inconsequential issues bother you a lot. And if these things bother you that much, you should definitely use something else. I will warn you as someone who has used Android phones, Windows computers, Amazon Echo devices, FitBits, and a whole lot of other brands of technology: it is all imperfect. You will be changing one set of imperfections for another. The trick is finding the ones that bother you the least. Good luck with that.

"Don't sweat the small stuff . . . and it's all small stuff." - Richard Carlson