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iOS 5 and Yahoo Contacts Sync

I have an iPhone 4, and had been using CardDav to sync my contacts with my Yahoo account with no problems (two-way sync worked perfectly). I upgraded to iOS 5 over the weekend, and was delighted to see that the Yahoo mail integration now supported contacts (in addition to mail and calendar but no contacts as was the case with iOS 4.2). After removing the CardDav account and turning on the Contacts option under the Yahoo Mail account, I noticed that the contacts synchronization now happens only one way. That is, if I add a contact on my iPhone or make changes to a contact on my iPhone, those change get pushed almost immedeately to my Yahoo contacts. However, if I add a contact in my Yahoo address book (on the actual Yahoo site) or make changes to a contact on Yahoo, the changes do not get pushed to my iPhone.


I tried removing the Yahoo account from my iPhone altogether, verified that all data was wiped as a result, and restarted the phone, and then added back the Yahoo account, but the same behavior persists.


I also tried pressing what looks like a refresh button in the top left part of the address book on my iPhone (when viewing the list of contacts), but after seeing the data activity "swirl" in the status bar, there are still no updates from Yahoo. It's been more than a day since these changes were made, which is more than enough time for a Push to have taken place.


Is anyone else having this problem, or does anyone know if this is a bug with iOS 5?

iPhone 4, iOS 5

Posted on Oct 18, 2011 7:46 AM

Reply
28 replies

Oct 18, 2011 11:26 PM in response to krubinow

You are not alone...


I have a new iPhone 4S that came with iOS 5 installed. I set up the CardDav account exactly as described by Yahoo. But I am having the exact same problem when synchronizing between Yahoo and the iPhone contact list.


Changes to the iPhone are promptly reflected on my Yahoo account. But changes to Yahoo are not reflected on the iPhone. I've also pushed the little "swirl" update button, which seems to spin for quite some time. But after hours of patient waiting, clearing the browser cache (as recommended by Yahoo), rebooting, etc. etc. Still nothing.


I am very much seeking a solution to this problem as well...

Oct 19, 2011 7:14 AM in response to krubinow

same exact issue. Whether if I use CardDav option or integrated contacts from the Yahoo account, it only synchronizes one way, even if I deleted cookies, reboot the phone... it will never update contacts that I have updated via the Web.


The only way that it works is to delete the contacts option so that all of your contacts will be removed, and then add it again. Voila... all changes/updates to your contacts from the web will now be ported to the phone. Stupid... but at least it works for now.


There has been serious FAILS with Yahoo Mail & iOS5...


How do we report these issues officially to Apple so that at least it gets some visibility?

Oct 30, 2011 12:20 PM in response to krubinow

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm having the exact same issues. I have 173 contacts in my Yahoo account but can only get 150 to come over to my phone. Not all the numbers of the ones that are synching are coming over either. I went to the store today to ask the Genius bar and he said he couldn't help me. I've reported it to Yahoo as well so hopefully they are working on it. I suggest everyone with the problem report it to both Apple and Yahoo in hopes that the more that have the problem the faster they will be attention to it! Keep me posted if anyone finds a fix.

Oct 31, 2011 4:41 AM in response to krosci

well, here's the latest reply from Yahoo...after I've asked them to cut the crap with their pre-canned answers.


they basically say that carddav is the only option that works. I did a full phone restore and added Yahoo once again last night, I only activated a carddav account and I still don't get a bi-directional sync.


Yahoo suggested that I report this to Apple. Gotta love the run around!

-----------------


I apologize if what I wrote you previously did not work, it was not a

canned response as I wrote it myself and am an Apple certified A+ tech

support agent working here at Yahoo!. What I wrote to you has worked for

many of our customers.


If you still have the "Yahoo! - Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders,

Notes" setting found under "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" in the "Settings"

app, please try deleting or disabling that account and using just the

CardDAV account I had you set up last time. I have found that the

general Yahoo! Settings use imap the protocol to sync and not CardDAV

and imap has not been working well since the iOS 5 update.


CardDAV has been working well and syncing wirelessly for me on an iPhone

4 running iOS 5.


Unfortunately, I will have to refer you to Apple for help if what I have

suggested does not assist you with this issue.

Nov 14, 2011 5:13 PM in response to krubinow

Hi,


Has anyone had any luck with this? Yahoo carddav and iphone seems to be a killer combination - it drives me nuts... :-(


I have had similar experience as described by others in this thread. Synching from yahoo to iphone would work shortly after creating or recreating a new yahoo carddav account on the phone (3GS) and almost never shortly aterwords.


After upgrading to 5.0.1 two days ago I cannot even create the yahoo carddav account on the phone anymore. First it complains about not being able to use SSL and than after spinning for a while it says that account verification failed. Earlier today a message poped up on the phone stating that the phone did not trust the yahoo.carddav server and asking if it was ok to keep using it. I answered yes and all my contacts from the contact list disappeared.


You might say that it looks like an issue connecting to the carddave server. However, at the same time my HP tablet syncs changes in yahoo contacts with no problems and within seconds...


Any ideas?


Thank you

Nov 15, 2011 6:01 AM in response to krubinow

My Yahoo mail and contacts were working fine up until yesterday. I had just set up using the Yahoo accounts selection and switches (mail, contacts ON; calendar OFF), not any specific carddav for contacts. Mail still ok. But at some point yesterday aft an error similar to the one pet2000 metioned popped up, then I noticed a bit later my contacts had disappeared (message streams became phone numbers instead of names was how I noticed...checked my contacts they were all gone).


Tried setting up specific carddav contacts this morning but just get the spin for-almost-ever verifying. FInally comes back with cannot connect via SSL do you want to continue without...try that and it spins for-almost-ever again then says verification failed.


So, yeah, issues to fixed somewhere along the line - likley Yahoo.

Nov 15, 2011 8:08 AM in response to krubinow

Yes, I tried another non-Apple device, too.


To get around it for now I exported my Yahoo contacts in Outlook CSV format and imported to my rarely used GMail account (after deleting all old contacts there).


Then set up my GMail on iPhone, have to do it as an Exchange account and use server m.google.com, to get ActiveSync and contact sync working. Default GMail iPhone setup is imap and it doesn't seem to support contact sync.


All good now.

Nov 15, 2011 8:20 AM in response to krubinow

Hmmm... nothing fancy... just followed the steps as presented... (in Firefox on XP)... Yahoo | Contacts | Action drop down | Export All... then click button Microsoft Outlook: Export Now, type in captcha code & click yet another Export Now, showed a "Your download will start in 5 secs if not click here" msg under the Contacts banner, it popped up the Firefox download/save/open dialog within 5 secs, and then downloaded an yahoo_ab.csv file to downloads folder.

iOS 5 and Yahoo Contacts Sync

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