macOS 12.3 Will Include Cloud Storage Changes Affecting Dropbox and OneDrive

[MacRumors]

Dropbox today announced that users who update to macOS 12.3 once that software version becomes available may temporarily encounter issues with opening online-only files in some third-party apps on their Mac.

In a support document and an email to customers, Dropbox said it is actively working on full support for online-only files on macOS 12.3 and will begin rolling out an updated version of its Mac app to beta testers in March. In the meantime, Dropbox users who update to macOS 12.3 will still be able to open online-only files in Finder.

Dropbox did not provide any further details, but Microsoft recently said macOS 12.2 will be the last version that supports its own cloud storage service OneDrive's current online-only files implementation. Microsoft said OneDrive will be getting a new online-only files experience that is "more integrated with macOS" and "will have long-term support from Apple," adding that the current version is built on several technologies that are "now deprecated."

Altogether, it appears likely that Apple has given cloud storage services like Dropbox and OneDrive advanced notice about system-level changes that will affect online-only files starting with macOS 12.3. We've reached out to Apple and Dropbox for further details, but so far have not received any additional information.

Apple will likely release macOS 12.2 within the next week or so, and then macOS 12.3 beta testing should begin shortly after that.

(Thanks, Brad!)

Article Link: macOS 12.3 Will Include Cloud Storage Changes Affecting Dropbox and OneDrive

 

[DHagan4755]

This has to be a frustrating experience for Dropbox customers who purchased the new 14/16" MacBook Pros as they can't roll back from Monterey so that the file syncing works properly like it does on Big Sur.

 

[Kylo83]

I wonder what 12.3 will include to change this

 

[Realityck]

Because 12.3 beta would run Feb thru March possibly universal control.

 

[MrGimper]

Hopefully this OS-level API/support will mean that the Mac version of Synology Drive Client will finally support online files only. About time.

 

[jz0309]

I have OneDrive thru my Office365, I tried the app on my iMac and it ... sucked ... using the web interface only, sufficient for my needs

 

[kalafalas]

I've been running the M1 native version of one drive since the beta came out, which includes the modern finder integration and I can say that it is AWESOME. no longer is one drive using tons of CPU and all the online vs local etc is native to finder similar to iCloud Drive, its a great upgrade!

 

[PhireWare]

Sounds like everyone is being forced to use the File Provider API? Box.com already uses this in their sync client. StrongSync also uses this tech as a 3rd party sync client for Dropbox, WebDAV, etc.

 

[jacg]

I wonder if this will affect Google Drive?

 

[jonnysods]

Meh, its not a big deal, all you have to do is download files to your computer and it seems like it works fine.

 

[jdb8167]

Meh, its not a big deal, all you have to do is download files to your computer and it seems like it works fine.

It kind of depends on how well this macOS API works. In theory it sounds like a nice integration with macOS but having your files in the cloud but not really in the folders that you think they are could be a problem if the new software has issues.

 

[Lycestra]

Anyone know if this would impact other cloud storage clients, like Nextcloud?

 

[jonnysods]

It kind of depends on how well this macOS API works. In theory it sounds like a nice integration with macOS but having your files in the cloud but not really in the folders that you think they are could be a problem if the new software has issues.

Fair point!

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

This has to be a frustrating experience for Dropbox customers who purchased the new 14/16" MacBook Pros as they can't roll back from Monterey so that the file syncing works properly like it does on Big Sur.

It shouldn’t be a problem at all if dropbox swiftly updates to the new API, as they’ve said they will.
If it really is that big of a deal, then those customers can stick to 12.2, but I highly doubt that this is a big enough change to keep customers behind OS updates

 

[orbital~debris]

Only recalled at the end of this article that we’re now on yearly increments of the main macOS number (instead of after the point/.), so this article is talking about a point release coming sooner rather than later with the next major version of the OS 🤦‍♂️

 

[kalafalas]

Only recalled at the end of this article that we’re now on yearly increments of the main macOS number (instead of after the point/.), so this article is talking about a point release coming sooner rather than later with the next major version of the OS ?‍♂️

It bothers me so much, I get confused all the time and have to look it up. I wish they had just dropped the 10 and went with macOS 16 instead of 11 for Big Sur. I kinda understood 11 due to the transition to arm, but we transitioned from power PC to x86 in 10.4 and it was not considered an “entirely new Mac OS” like X truly was over 9. And then they said screw it and dropped Monterey as 12. Apple makes great products, but boy do I hate how they name/number stuff ?

 

[Thebrochure]

Oh thank God! For a moment there, I thought the entire world was going to end!

 

[Solve4X]

I still do not understand what this will actually change in using Dropbox. I currently have only some folders in my Dropbo set as “Local”, with most files “Online”. The latter are supposed to download automatically when double-clicked (opened). In practice, this feature regularly breaks. Dropbox Business support tole me that resetting it can be done by disconnecting the Dropbox app and then reconnecting it, which causes Dropbox to re-index everything in it. With >500K files, this can take a while.

The work-around I’ve found is to manually change from “online” to “local” first, and then open the files.

Will this be better or worse with 12.3? What exactly will change? Will it prevent me from having some folders “online only” as I’m doing now?

 

[Shirasaki]

I’ve been in the habit of always making working files offline before going in. But I do acknowledge the fact that corporation may not allow local files and restrict to “online only”. Hopefully this 12.3 thingy could provide better support while retaining the ability to display ONLY files that are made offline.

 

[deannnnn]

I have OneDrive thru my Office365, I tried the app on my iMac and it ... sucked ... using the web interface only, sufficient for my needs

I am forced to use it for work but have been pleasantly surprised by it's Mac app! It's a better experience than Dropbox or Google Drive, in my opinion, which is surprising given how flakey Microsoft apps for the Mac tend to be.

 

[Xenomorph]

This has made OneDrive nearly unusable for me. The insane delay with opening folders, syncing changes, etc.

It makes my new M1 Pro MacBook Pro way slower than my 2013 MBP when working with files.

It's like every file system call is running through a OneDrive abstraction layer. All the lag of a web interface but with native Finder windows. Did they even test this before rolling it out into production? 12.3 won't be here for a while.

 

[kyjaotkb]

Box.com users bracing for a shaky few weeks, I guess...

 

[goodcow]

Meh, its not a big deal, all you have to do is download files to your computer and it seems like it works fine.

And if your Dropbox account has terabytes of data in it, and you have a 500GB internal drive? That was the point of online only files.

 

[DHagan4755]

It shouldn’t be a problem at all if dropbox swiftly updates to the new API, as they’ve said they will.
If it really is that big of a deal, then those customers can stick to 12.2, but I highly doubt that this is a big enough change to keep customers behind OS updates

This has been a problem since the release of Monterey. I just helped someone with this issue. The problems started after they upgraded from Big Sur to Monterey 12.0.1. The only fix was to wipe the iMac & reinstall Big Sur. Dropbox is now back to normal on this person's iMac running Big Sur. Thankfully the user didn't upgrade any of her other computers to Monterey & we told everyone else in the office to stay put on Big Sur.

 

[Shirasaki]

And if your Dropbox account has terabytes of data in it, and you have a 500GB internal drive? That was the point of online only files.

I would match the online storage capacity with local storage capacity as much as I can before going online only unless I cannot do local files.