50% of iPhones Brought to Genius Bar Have Never Been Synced

[kdarling]

I can understand the "non-syncers" quite well. Most of the people that isn't glued to the tech blogs when Apple is talking about their latest OS, couldn't really care less.

It's just a tool, and if it works for what they want it to do, right now, then why update it? Same with OS X.

Exactly. Ditto with software updates on Android.

Many/most of the world's users could care less about updates, which is why it's not the major buyer's issue that people in tech forums tend to think.

People are interested in what the device does for them right now.

Edit: UNLESS the update comes automatically OTA, as it does for WebOS, Android, and soon, iOS. Getting a note that an update is ready to install, is very easy for people to handle. This is why Android updates, when they come, have a far quicker uptake than iOS updates, which people are slower to discover and install.

 

[SteveLV702]

don't think 5GB is enough space especially if you have Backups to iCloud enabled... as I turned on on my iPhone & iPad and within minutes already over my 5GB quota... cause each backup is over 3GB's....

 

[ratzzo]

don't think 5GB is enough space especially if you have Backups to iCloud enabled... as I turned on on my iPhone & iPad and within minutes already over my 5GB quota... cause each backup is over 3GB's....

I think this is actually Apple's plan/trick. At first, they send out a message to the world saying iCloud is free, and you get 5GB.

Later, we find out that you can actually purchase more space.. once people already made the transition

 

[yetanotherdave]

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I'm another daily podcast listener. This is the #1 reason I sync my iPhone. I would probably do it weekly otherwise, or just whenever I remember (and I work in IT, specifically backups and data retention!). If icloud/wifi syncing also updates my podcasts that'd be nice. Shouldn't even need the computer on for that.

 

[theFATangel]

I use Google's contact sync and it works great.

I second that emotion! Perhaps a bit complex for some to set up initially (using Exchange), but I swear by it now. If I lose my phone I still have all my contacts backed up through the last time my phone was able to connect to Google's servers. All syncing is now automatic and done silently in the background instantly upon entering new information.

Disclaimer: If you choose to go this route you MUST back up your existing contacts prior to setting Google Contacts sync through Exchange. PLEASE NOTE: Your existing contacts on your phone will not be synced with Google contacts automatically. Only new ones added into the phone will be automagically added to Google contacts.

The easiest way to export the existing contacts off your iPhone into Google Contacts is by syncing first with the Address Book app on your PC using iTunes, export these to a single VCF of all those contacts from Address Book, then log into and import this VCF file into your Google Contacts account. Also, after following the instructions linked above, in Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars under Contacts, set default account to Exchange so all future contacts input are immediately synced to Google Contacts via Exchange and not just stored locally on your phone without redundancy. YMMV.

 

[vincenz]

I find I've been syncing my iPhone less and less. Before I would very regularly. now, I'll go weeks without.

arn

I go for months now myself. With the wireless syncing in iOS 5, hopefully thatll change things.

 

[cameronjpu]

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Wow, I can't even conceive of that. Never backing up? So, also, never updating the OS?

You have to realize, 50% of iPhone users don't know what the term OS means. Not kidding. These people (normal people) are my clients.

 

[cameronjpu]

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That holds true for contacts, too, if users didn't sign up for MobileMe or even Google's free (and, in my experience, terrible) contact sync.

I use Google's contact sync and it works great.

I think the OP is prejudiced against it. I've seen several really terrible outcomes with MobileMe syncing. I have installed google exchange sync for about 30-40 people and have never had an issue.

 

[manu chao]

For instance it mixes the DRMed stuff in with the unrestricted music so it's hard to tell what I can share with people, and also it has a weird filename/folder system that's incompatible with the 20 GB of music I had before switching to itunes.

What DRMed stuff? If you keep your music in a separate folder and only have switched to iTunes some time ago you are unlikely to have bought much if any music with DRM in it.

And what is so hard about letting iTunes import all your music in place? Do it once, let it run, and then forget about it.

I can understand the "non-syncers" quite well. Most of the people that isn't glued to the tech blogs when Apple is talking about their latest OS, couldn't really care less. It's just a tool, and if it works for what they want it to do, right now, then why update it? Same with OS X.

And those people never have heard about security breaches and security updates? Or do they just don't realise that somebody could hack into a phone?

 

[cameronjpu]

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I'm sorry but those 50% are idiots and don't deserve a smart phone. They are probably the same people that type the word "google" into the google search area of a web browser.

You just called your parents and your siblings, and probably at least half of your kids, idiots.

Nerds are so incapable of understanding normal people.

 

[d21mike]

iOS 5 asks you to set up your free iCloud account before you are presented with the home screen for the first time.

But it is only a request. You can skip it. Like the person you responded to said, if they do not setup an iCloud Account then of course you have the same problem. The people that would skip this are the same people that do not backup now. Also, there are a lot of people that are afraid to store anything personal in the cloud. Maybe when they are sold the iPhone there will be some education on the importance to setup an iCloud Account.

 

[saxon48]

The stupidity of the human race is at times quite frightening.

 

[DennisN]

Mine (iPhone 3GS) gets synced every day, simply because I connect and disconnect from my Mac to charge it up (in use all day it can run down quickly).

Question - if iCloud can let you access your documents from anywhere and any of your devices, will it be necessary to install programs on all devices? I'm thinking Excel - I have my documents on my desktop iMac and it would be real nice to be able to look at (even update?) my accounts when I'm a zillion miles away - but would that need me to install Office on my iPad/iPhone?

 

[manu chao]

I think it is funny. I mean, come on, did you have to "sync" your rotary dial phone? AND it worked just as well, right, no dropped calls in 1958, right!!

No, but your rotary dial phone did not access your e-mails nor did it play podcasts or any music. I think people were smart enough to realise that to get new music onto their iPods they had to sync them.

 

[cameronjpu]

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Will iCloud really solve this? If users don't sign up for an iCloud account then this solves nothing. Will you be forced to have an iCloud account in order to use the phone?

People that aren't manually syncing the iPhone now are not likely to sign up for iCloud if they are not somehow forced to do so.

I personally know two people that have iPhone 4's and have never synced. I cannot image that magically with iCloud that they will do that.

Right now, unless your family tech nerd understands and pushes the benefits of free google exchange sync, those people's phones never get synced. This way, there is another way for people's stuff to be set up once and synced to backup automatically forever. Yes, it makes a difference.

 

[gramirez2012]

I never connect my 3G to my computer anymore. It's a pain to go get the cable and wait for the painfully slow phone to go through its satanic rituals of backing up and syncing. Especially with iOS 4 running as terrible on the 3G as it does, its just not worth it.

 

[Rychy]

I can't even imagine... never synced?! Like do they not even put music on their iPhone?... crazy.

 

[cameronjpu]

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My parents are technically illiterate, so I can imagine that they've never sync'ed their 3GSs. OTOH, I back up every few days or when I've changed something on my phone. My JB is why I'm not on the cutting edge.

You should sneak google exchange sync onto their phone so that when they lose or break it, their contacts and calendars are not lost.

 

[cameronjpu]

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I don't think that most iPhone users understand that they're carrying around a small computer that requires the same attention as any other computer.

Sure they do. Are you under the (mistaken) impression that a significant proportion of the population backs up their computer? Because they don't.

 

[stridemat]

My new word for today. Backupophobes.

Most of the iPhone users I know never backup, or download new software

 

[ChazUK]

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That holds true for contacts, too, if users didn't sign up for MobileMe or even Google's free (and, in my experience, terrible) contact sync.

I use Google's contact sync and it works great.

I've had no issues with Google Sync either. It quite happily keeps my OSX, iOS and Android devices updated perfectly.

 

[manu chao]

Sure they do. Are you under the (mistaken) impression that a significant proportion of the population backs up their computer? Because they don't.

I am under the impression that a significant proportion of the population understands the concept of malware and hacking into a computer and the concept of security updates.
But maybe I am wrong.

 

[cameronjpu]

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Not syncing/backing up iPhone? That's nothing. Virtually all mac users who are non techies that I know never update their Mac. You know the Software Update of the OS...

Yah my colleagues that have converted to Mac just dismiss the Software Update notifications, or minimize them to the Dock. Old habits from Windows.

Maybe they're just habits? Nobody runs updates, Mac users or windows users. My clients, almost to the last one, don't even know their admin passwords when I show up to fix things. Wifi password? What's that?

Sorry nerds. It's normal to not do this stuff. Be glad. Being a nerd means you'll always have a skill that 80% of the world doesn't. And that's always good.

 

[bushido]

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u wouldnt believe how many people i know who still run iOS 4.0 on their iPhone 4 and have never updated their apps either. having a lovely #56 next to their appstore icon would drive me nutty.

 

[aristokrat]

I can understand the "non-syncers" quite well. Most of the people that isn't glued to the tech blogs when Apple is talking about their latest OS, couldn't really care less. It's just a tool, and if it works for what they want it to do, right now, then why update it? Same with OS X.

I understand this to a point, except when point people rely on the phone for important aspects of their life (whatever they deem them to be). Then it's like acting like you can't be bothered to learn about fire safety at your research lab because you have important hydrogen experiments to run. Just because it's "just a tool" doesn't mean you shouldn't learn how it works.