Q: iOS 8 Calendar on iPhone showing GMT times for new events.

Im having the same issue with my iphone and Ipad. When I create the appt in gmail there is no issue, but when I create the appt on my iphone or ipad it adds the GMT. Found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgP1zyi_iV8  that makes it clear that is it an Apple IOS issue. I had no problems before the latest update. Apple FAIL.

It seems that Apple is not bothered to reply to this massive thread. It would be nice to know if Apple is working on a fix for the next release or ignoring this problem and trying to push folks to use their native iCloud calendar through under handed tactics. Irrespective of their motivation, it is clear nothing is happening on the resolution front.

Can anyone recommend a third party app that does what the native app does (or does not, in this case)? Paid or free? Any battery drain issues with the recommendations? I use Google for my calendar, so that's my primary motivation for switching the apps.

I read someone ask why folks are not using the native iCloud calendar and going with Google/Microsoft/etc... I don't speak for all, but I like to "distribute" my risk across vendors. I use Google for contacts and calendar (For calendar, I do like the web interface of Google that allows me to set up recurring stuff for odd rules). I do include my contacts in iCloud backups for secondary safety. I use Hotmail for email, which mercifully still provides push notifications.

I switched to Sunrise Calendar. It's free and much better than the stock IOS calendar app and does not exhibit any of the time zone problems. It's certainly worth a look.

I just downloaded the Google CalenMob app. It is the fix for now. It will sync with Apple too, but it doesnt add the blasted GMT junk. As for me and my clan...we be using the Google CalenMob here on out.

Tastymorsel

Sunrise looks great but does not play with Exchange.

This may be considered a separate issue and may largely be "cosmetic" meaning that it doesn't affect functionality but in addition to the GMT issue, my alerts are now reversed.

So, for instance, I set one alert for 1 hour before and the 2nd one for 30 min before. In my appointment, now the first alert is 30 minutes before the event and the second alert is 1 hour before the event. I do not know if that matters as long as it functions properly but now ALL of my alerts for any appt entered via Google or via phone are whackadoodle like that.

Whatever Apple did in this last update pretty much garbled the entire calendar functionality. Sheesh.

Some have recommended Fantastical as a good alternative calendar app

Apple's alternative is to use the iCloud Calendar. Makes me wonder if what we're experiencing is a deliberate code change to make people switch over without the PR nightmare (instead a Service/Tech Support nightmare).

- I started out using MS Outlook Calendar, but couldn't get that to sync with my phone and computer at the time.
- iCloud Calendar did not exist.
- The workaround alternate cal was GCal with the ability to sync the way I needed.

Over time, working with start ups and small businesses, they tend to use Google Tools, which makes GCal the most convenient to use (except on my lap/desktop because I have to have a browser tab open). So, though I can switch to another calendar now (export GCal file), I am rather mired in GCal for other reasons.

It has been suggested that I add GCal as a subscription, but that means making my GCal public.

- On my phone, I'm trying out GCal's app, Sunrise and Fantastical until Apple figures things out, if they figure things out..

... and the world goes round.

As shown in the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgP1zyi_iV8&feature=youtu.be

The problem occurs even with iCloud, if you have more than one device.

If Apple starts to lose customers, and if they think their calendar is worth the effort, they'll fix it.

Hi,

I am not sure to whom I am responding.  All the posts on this thread are essentially about the same issue.  I now call it the "GMT Issue".  Someone posted that it would be helpful to contact iPhone support technicians, 800-694-7466.  Thank you to whoever posted it.  I did call them, and we were able to make this stop while on the phone with support staff at iPhone. Once I hung up the phone, the issue manifested itself again.  This issue is a system issue and I am hoping and hoping that the more folks contact iPhone and Apple that they will report attempting to resolve it.  What I find fascinating is that the "GMT Issue" does not happen to everyone.  I do wonder what the difference is between those for whom this occurs, and those for whom it does not. 

Thank you again to all who are posting about this issue.  Let's all hope that soon it will be resolved.

Happy New Year to all.

Question:

"I do wonder what the difference is between those for whom this occurs, and those for whom it does not."

Answer:

This has to do with the system clock time setting on the physical server hardware on which your synced account is located.  The "GMT Bug" is picking this up from the server and then transposing your appointments into whatever time zone the server's clock is set to.  If the server is set to GMT then you'll see "(GMT)."  If the server's clock is set to PST you'll see "(PST)" and so on.  If your server's system clock is set to a different time zone that you are in, then you will see this bug manifest on your iOS device(s).  If it is the SAME as the time zone you are in then you won't see the bug, but the bug is still there in the code on your iOS device(s).

Here's an article by AppRiver, my MS Exchange host who has spent tons of time working on this both with me and other users:

http://blog.appriver.com/2014/12/ios-8-calendar-events-display-dual-time-zones/

This describes what happens on MS Exchange servers but the same exact thing happens on Google servers.

Others in this thread posted about how stunned the Apple Store employees were to open up a brand new iOS device in the store and see this bug show up without any changes whatsoever being made to default settings.  This bug is embedded in iOS itself...every single device running iOS 8 has this bug embedded on it. The only people who will experience the monumental hassle it creates are those who sync to accounts on servers set to  a different time zone than their device time zone.  There are people out there right now running iOS 8 that don't see this bug.  But as soon as either 1) they travel into a different time zone than the one they are in and their iOS device updates its clock; or 2) their account gets migrated to a new server with a different time setting (happens as part of automated load-balancing operations by providers like Google), the bug will show up....and they will all start posting here stumped as to how this happened without them changing any settings.

I promise.....follow this thread (or go back through it) and you'll see it.  Every few weeks when the Google servers migrate a new group of accounts around, a bunch of new people show up....don't read any of the previous posts in the thread...and start saying that this "must be due to Google because Apple says it is" and the fact that they didn't change any settings on their device "proves" this.  As explained above, this is already on all devices running iOS 8 and you don't have to change any settings to encounter it...all that has to change is the system time setting on your synced account server.  The bug was there all along.  It's like a leak in your roof:  it could be there for months, but you aren't going to know about it until it rains right?

Thanks for taking the time to call in and report this to Apple.  That really is the most effective thing you, or anyone can do.  We need to register as many cases of this issue with Apple as possible so that they make it a priority.

I looks to me that  the calendar issue comes from the interaction between gmail calendars and Apple.  If you go to your settings on your gmail calendar you will notice that all time zones use the acronym GMT.  When this syncs with Apple it is being interpreted by Apple as Greenwhch Mean Time (GMT) which is currently 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.  After syncing with gmail the Apple calendar then displays both your local time zone and the GMT time zone which is very annoying.  For me the event stays in the correct time zone on my gmail calendar but shows two time zones on my Apple devices.  Unfortunately, I don't know the fix and I do not understand why all time zones in gmail use the GMT acronym.   

This 'bug' has been bugging me for weeks. Finally decided to do something about it today and found this thread. Thanks, everyone, for the work you've put in to diagnosing the problem. I sent feedback to Apple. Hopefully they resolve this issue sooner than later.

Hi JG in SB: thanks for all the clear posts. I have sent feedback to apple. can not believe this thread started this fall and still problem is there.I am really trying to remain an Apple customer supporter but this is making that hard.  Thanks again, Brogan from Seattle