You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

How to locally sync an iPhone with OS X Mavericks? iCloud is NOT an option.

I read that OS X Mavericks will no longer allow me to use iTunes to sync my iPhone to a local system but makes iCloud mandatory? Is that correct?


iCloud is not a valid option for me since I have no control about my data there, I need to keep all my data (contacts, calendar...) on a system under my control and so far iTunes allowed me to do that which was one of the reasons I didn't even consider Android or Windows Phone.

OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Oct 20, 2013 8:54 AM

Reply
3,162 replies

Nov 5, 2013 12:38 AM in response to Eliasor

Eliasor


In addition to posting on apple.com/feedback (where I always wonder if it is just going into a black hole), people concerned about this issue might want to sign this online petition:


<Link Edited by Host>


At least there you can see a count of how many people have expressed their opinion.


What's wrong with posting a link you overAppleprotective host??? You should be ashamed removing that!

Nov 5, 2013 2:34 AM in response to DiederikStaay

While posting links to a petition is probably against the TOS, I wonder if the link would have disappeared quite so fast if it were for a petition praising Apple. I have been trying to set up a server to deal with this issue. I'm having some problems with instability of the server software, and after one of the crashes I was asked to give feedback which I did saying I was disappointed and listing some of the specific issues. Interestingly, I have had a response from server tech support- I surmise that I am not the only one having problems with what looks rather like a beta release. I will report back if something useful comes from this exchange if it helps us with a simple working server solution.

Nov 5, 2013 4:09 AM in response to fred242

I'm pretty much flabbergasted by this move. I can understand Apple trying to shift its orientation to the cloud to keep up with ongoing trends, and not wanting to support the older Sync Services or consequences of its mixing with iCloud. But to completely ignore the strengthening backlash against the loss of privacy via online mechanisms seems rather heavy-handed. I mean, it's one thing to force people to download massive software and leave a large segment without heavy-duty internet access behind, but to force them to put something as sensitive as contacts, calendars, and notes online when there is more news every day about US government internet surveillance or information lost to hackers is downright Orwellian.

Nov 5, 2013 4:34 AM in response to DiederikStaay

Yeah they've been trying to silence the petition for a while now but the cats out of the bag.


It's growing very very quickly. There must be a lot of reposting going on outside this forum anyway.


It'll be past 5000 people probably around the same time this discussion hits 100 pages of complaints.


You'd imagine apple would be smelling something burning by now.

Nov 5, 2013 4:41 AM in response to Adrian Robert

Adrian Robert wrote:


I'm pretty much flabbergasted by this move. I can understand Apple trying to shift its orientation to the cloud to keep up with ongoing trends, and not wanting to support the older Sync Services or consequences of its mixing with iCloud.

The point isn't to keep up with trends, but to simplify the synchronization by removing synchronization. Synchronization is a messy, difficult process.

The CardDAV and CalDAV open standards provide a better way to keep everything current all the time, not just when you plug in a cable.

All data is managed centrally and available on all devices.

You don't have to use iCloud or any cloud. Just set up your own CalDAV and CardDAV servers. Yes, at this point it isn't horribly easy (except for the OS X Server), but the world will catch up and provide a myriad of solutions since the technology is open source.

Nov 5, 2013 4:51 AM in response to brollyjohn

Just a little reminder if I may.


There are a number of uncomfortable options that can be found in these forums, but whatever option is chosen should not distract one from letting Apple know how they feel.

Concerned users should remember that this issue encompasses three areas, so feedback should be provided to Apple through the relevant channels for iPhone, iTunes and Mac OS X at:


http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html


http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html


http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html


Feedback to Apple should always be constructive, informative and non-abusive. They are an intelligent company and they are more likely to respond to intelligent argument than flame-filled demands.


Right or wrong, Apple's TOCs for the forums are clear about links to petitions and the like, and we all signed up to that. People will Google and find their voices anyway.


Some people have spoken to their respective local and national media about this issue.

Nov 5, 2013 5:43 AM in response to Barney-15E

You're late to the party genius.


This discussion has gone over the TOU in detail with more than a few irate commenters.


Just to redundantly reiterate yet again, apple's TOU states:


4. Do not post polls or petitions or links to same.


This must be referring to the petition to Bring the 100% offline Sync for iOS back.


You'll clear 30,000 points faster if you say "just use icloud".

Nov 5, 2013 7:38 AM in response to Gerrit7

I have been an user of Apple hardware for many years. For quite a long time, a kept a seperate Windows machine solely for the use of AutoCAD but the current development in Apple`s policy makes me consider going back to Windows completely. This is not only about the missing local sync feature in Maverics. I do not like the idea of a company patronizing its customers; I want to make my own decisions - and this decision might well be to stay away from Apple in the future.


Concerning the cloud issue: I have never used such a service and I will never do so until it is possible to easily encrypt the files locally (open source, of course) and only transfer those encrypted files into the cloud. I know, it's already possible with TrueCrypt and any cloud provider but it's just too much hassle for each and every file. This process needs to be automatic. While most areas in Japan have 1Gbit/s fiber broadband, the internet speed and reliability in Europe is extremely low which is another reason that speaks against the usage of a cloud service.


I have provided feedback to Apple expressing my concerns about this issue and I have signed the before mentioned petition from Berd S. I do not know if any of this will bring the local sync feature back, but this is the only thing that I can do now. I'm still using a mid 2010 MacBook Pro with Snow Leopard installed on it and I see no reason to upgrade to Mavericks (or even a previous version for that matter). When the time comes to buy a new machine, I will carefully consider if it is an Apple device again...

How to locally sync an iPhone with OS X Mavericks? iCloud is NOT an option.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.