Will iCloud keep apps in sync perfectly??

[Mad Mac Maniac]

One of the biggest frustrations with having both an iPhone and iPad app is trying to keep them in sync. Devs have tried their own methods of bluetooth syncing, dropbox syncing, or their own unique method. They all work differently and many don't work very well. I have been hoping Apple would create a system which automatically keeps all of your devices in sync. Is iCloud the perfect answer?

I know that iCloud will allow the syncing of documents. But what about the syncing of folder creation? Or app settings? App passcodes? what about saving game progress across universal apps? basically all app data

Because my wife and I each will have an iPhone and then we will have an iPad. I'm wondering how well it will work to sync all the following (assuming the devs use iCloud access)...

• Awesome note- syncing all notes and folders (including the folder data like color and icon)
• gas cubby- sync all the gas/maintenance expenses as well as all car data/alerts
• iBearMoney- sync not only the transactions and bank accounts but also all the various expense categories and subcategories along with accompanying icon and default expense accounts
• Infinity blade(insert any game title here)- sync game progress with iPad version
• any cooking app- sync grocery list and saved favorite recipies
• 2do- sync all data of todos, checklists, and projects as well as their corresponding tabs (with correct color)

Would iCloud work this way? If iCloud isn't able to sync/create folder data etc I can see it being a confusing mess for many of the apps I listed above.

 

[HazyCloud]

If the dev supports iCloud, I don't see why not. We should be able to launch a universal app (Infinity Blade) and have the same save across all devices we are signed into.

 

[fireshot91]

It might not be instantaneous, but I think that if the application supports iCloud, then that should work.

 

[admanimal]

Ultimately, most things are up to the developer to support.

 

[Interstella5555]

Ultimately, most things are up to the developer to support.

Yup. Most complaints about the ability of apps are due to poor/lazy programming, not what Apple allows you to do with the SDK.

 

[Dwalls90]

Apple claims that things such as game saves will be stored in the cloud, but again, at the discretion of the developer. I long for a day when we just see one version of an app instead of iPhone, retina, iPad versions, so that we can sync our data across our iPads and iPhones, ect.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Apple claims that things such as game saves will be stored in the cloud, but again, at the discretion of the developer. I long for a day when we just see one version of an app instead of iPhone, retina, iPad versions, so that we can sync our data across our iPads and iPhones, ect.

The games will be backed up in the cloud. But does that necessarily mean games can/will be updated across different devices? Then would there be a problem for multiple people under one Apple ID? My wife and I will share an Apple ID, but that doesn't mean we want to share our angry bird progress.

Ultimately, most things are up to the developer to support.

I figured this much, but I also wasn't sure what things are capable of being synced through the iCloud. Things like a todo, an expense transaction, any sort of discrete piece of data that you would want to save, are all easy targets for the iCloud. But if I create a category type, with a green chicken indicator which is password protected, and set all transactions in that category to open in a certain format... is that all able to be synced through the iCloud or would only the transaction be synced and then not have the right category or not have all the right settings.

 

[shandyman]

If the dev supports iCloud, I don't see why not. We should be able to launch a universal app (Infinity Blade) and have the same save across all devices we are signed into.

it won't do it across different devices, it's like backing up to itunes, unless you restore your device from the backup of another each time, it will not sync across devices. it will only sync to that device.

 

[err404]

The games will be backed up in the cloud. But does that necessarily mean games can/will be updated across different devices? Then would there be a problem for multiple people under one Apple ID? My wife and I will share an Apple ID, but that doesn't mean we want to share our angry bird progress.

Backups are made per device, and do not automatically sync. This needs to be enabled by the app developer.
Also your iCloud Apple ID can be different from your App Store Apple ID. This means that data can sync from my iPhone to my iPad separately from my wife's iPhone and iPad yet we can still share purchase.

*In theory. I have not seen any apps utilize this functionality yet.

 

[Dwalls90]

The games will be backed up in the cloud. But does that necessarily mean games can/will be updated across different devices? Then would there be a problem for multiple people under one Apple ID? My wife and I will share an Apple ID, but that doesn't mean we want to share our angry bird progress.

I think this can happen though. Think about it, with the whole iCloud strategy of sycning devices and media, I think we'll see Apple take the approach of mirrioring apps and their data on multiple devices. Even iMessage follows this strategy.

Concerning you wanting different progress game saves - that must imply that you have two different iOS devices for yourselves, and have the same game purchased under one Apple ID that you and your wife are sharing? The problem is that you should each have purchased your own license of the app, and therefore will only sync to iCloud for each Apple ID. The system was designed this way, not to encourage people to share apps and Apple ID's with other people (isn't that illegal?)

 

[shandyman]

Concerning you wanting different progress game saves - that must imply that you have two different iOS devices for yourselves, and have the same game purchased under one Apple ID that you and your wife are sharing? The problem is that you should each have purchased your own license of the app, and therefore will only sync to iCloud for each Apple ID. The system was designed this way, not to encourage people to share apps and Apple ID's with other people (isn't that illegal?)

it's amazing how many people think that it's perfectly legal and are adamant apple should fix an error that's actually down to them breaking the T&C's of the apple ID.

Apparantly it's alright to share an apple ID, but these same people say that moan about people paying $5 for their UDID to be registered......

 

[err404]

it's amazing how many people think that it's perfectly legal and are adamant apple should fix an error that's actually down to them breaking the T&C's of the apple ID.

Apparantly it's alright to share an apple ID, but these same people say that moan about people paying $5 for their UDID to be registered......

Everything OP wants to do is fully supported by iOS5.
in iOS5 your App Store Apple ID, iCloud Apple ID and iMessage Apple ID are tracked separately. Apps can be shared between users and data synchronized independently.

As for the App Store T&C. Feel free to buy apps twice, but I suggest you re-read it before advising other of their rights. Apple grants rights per device, not per user. One Apple ID can be assigned to 5 devices.

 

[shandyman]

As for the App Store T&C. Feel free to buy apps twice, but I suggest you re-read it before advising other of their rights. Apple grants rights per device, not per user. One Apple ID can be assigned to 5 devices.

you obviouly missed the bit where it says not to share your ID with anyone, purchases are not by device, it's per account. Also it specifies users as individuals, not couples or families - "This iTunes Service is available for individuals aged 13 years or older. If you are 13 or older but under the age of 18, you should review this Agreement with your parent or guardian to make sure that you and your parent or guardian understand it. "

Apple did the 5 devices rule for the people that have a main machine, a laptop, an iPad and an iPhone...

but nice to see you mis-interpret the T&C's....

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Well I don't want this thread to get off topic with legallity issues. For the record, my wife is getting the iPhone 5 so no shared Apple ID's have occured as of yet.

But on topic, are there any devs here that know how the iCloud API's function? can it sync folder information and app settings? can it save game progress? etc

 

[shandyman]

Well I don't want this thread to get off topic with legallity issues. For the record, my wife is getting the iPhone 5 so no shared Apple ID's have occured as of yet.

But on topic, are there any devs here that know how the iCloud API's function? can it sync folder information and app settings? can it save game progress? etc

in theory yes. though what do you mean by folder information? you mean like on the homescreen? as that's already part of the iCloud backup.

 

[Dwalls90]

Everything OP wants to do is fully supported by iOS5.
in iOS5 your App Store Apple ID, iCloud Apple ID and iMessage Apple ID are tracked separately. Apps can be shared between users and data synchronized independently.

As for the App Store T&C. Feel free to buy apps twice, but I suggest you re-read it before advising other of their rights. Apple grants rights per device, not per user. One Apple ID can be assigned to 5 devices.

Sorry, but are you under the influence? Most of what you wrote is backwards.

It's not all supported by iOS5 (not that we would know what yet they have to offer as it's not officially and entirely unvealed yet).

You can't buy apps twice per account, it prevents you from doing that.

Apps and media are limited to Apple ID, not to device. No one buys apps seperately for their iTouch, iPhone and iPad.

On a computer, one Apple ID can AUTHORIZE up to 5 computers, but that has nothing to do with iOS devices.

you obviouly missed the bit where it says not to share your ID with anyone, purchases are not by device, it's per account. Also it specifies users as individuals, not couples or families - "This iTunes Service is available for individuals aged 13 years or older. If you are 13 or older but under the age of 18, you should review this Agreement with your parent or guardian to make sure that you and your parent or guardian understand it. "

Apple did the 5 devices rule for the people that have a main machine, a laptop, an iPad and an iPhone...

but nice to see you mis-interpret the T&C's....

Correct.

Well I don't want this thread to get off topic with legallity issues. For the record, my wife is getting the iPhone 5 so no shared Apple ID's have occured as of yet.

But on topic, are there any devs here that know how the iCloud API's function? can it sync folder information and app settings? can it save game progress? etc

I don't care if what you're doing is illegal, but what you're asking to do isn't possible because Apple has made illegal actions not possible. You can't buy the same app on the same Apple ID and share DIFFERENT app data on two iOS devices. Want your own game saves and backups? Get your own copies of the game, with your own Apple ID.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

in theory yes. though what do you mean by folder information? you mean like on the homescreen? as that's already part of the iCloud backup.

No I mean like on a task manager app like todo, 2do, or things(or note taking apps like awesome note). You can create folders and color code them, assign icons to them, password protect certain ones, and create certain notes/tasks within particular folders to open a particular way. Or I have those folders listed in a particular order. Would all that be retained? I know I've tried syncing some of them using other methods and usually there it does a bad job keeping it right.

Or on any kind of budgeting app like iBearMoney. You can create custom expense categories/subcategories. Would those automatically be created onto all the devices.

Things like that

 

[jmmo20]

I don't care if what you're doing is illegal, but what you're asking to do isn't possible because Apple has made illegal actions not possible. You can't buy the same app on the same Apple ID and share DIFFERENT app data on two iOS devices. Want your own game saves and backups? Get your own copies of the game, with your own Apple ID.

Actually you can.

One thing is the Apple ID you use to buy the app from the app store.
A different thing is the Apple ID you use with iCloud.

They can be one and the same, or they can be two different apple ID's.
if you use different Apple IDs, the scenario where you share a iTunes account apple ID with your wife, then use a different icloud apple id account is perfectly possible and not at all stopped or in any way made difficult by apple.

I think this conversation is quite moronic. You can't possibly expect an average Joe to buy 3 copies of angry birds for a family of 2 parents and a child.

It's not the same to share an itunes store ID with your wife and kids and a very different one to share with other people. That's why each itunes account can be authorised in 5 different computers, and why each computer can sync up to 5 idevices.

 

[jmmo20]

Well I don't want this thread to get off topic with legallity issues. For the record, my wife is getting the iPhone 5 so no shared Apple ID's have occured as of yet.

But on topic, are there any devs here that know how the iCloud API's function? can it sync folder information and app settings? can it save game progress? etc

It's very much up to the developer to decide how to implement the storage API.. in theory there's no limit but you need to take into account the amount of time it would take to upload/download content.

game saves, documents, app settings, it's all possible but up to the developer.

 

[Mascots]

Actually you can.

One thing is the Apple ID you use to buy the app from the app store.
A different thing is the Apple ID you use with iCloud.

They can be one and the same, or they can be two different apple ID's.
if you use different Apple IDs, the scenario where you share a iTunes account apple ID with your wife, then use a different icloud apple id account is perfectly possible and not at all stopped or in any way made difficult by apple.

I think this conversation is quite moronic. You can't possibly expect an average Joe to buy 3 copies of angry birds for a family of 2 parents and a child.

It's not the same to share an itunes store ID with your wife and kids and a very different one to share with other people. That's why each itunes account can be authorised in 5 different computers, and why each computer can sync up to 5 idevices.

This is right.
You can buy apps with one Apple ID (and use it on multiple iOS devices) and then use a different Apple ID for iCloud on each iOS device to keep data for each app separate in the cloud.

However, it isn't necessarily meant to be set up this way, Apple assumes that your Apple ID will be tied together with both your apps and your data; for example, during an iOS 5 setup, it asks for your iCloud Apple ID which will be applied to both the App Store (to fetch previous purchases) and iCloud (to fetch and have access to your data). You then manually have to change your App Store Apple ID to have access to the apps that weren't purchased on that iCloud account. Those "App Store Apple ID" apps moved onto the device will then access information stored in the "Apple ID iCloud account" specified in the iCloud settings (it can be different).

Basically, your "App Store Apple ID" is needed to get the list of apps you've previously purchased and to make sure that you are able to run it while your "iCloud Apple ID" is a pointer to your data. They can be the same (which is intended because it's less confusing) or separate (based on your needs).

But on topic, are there any devs here that know how the iCloud API's function? can it sync folder information and app settings? can it save game progress? etc

The iCloud API lets you sync pretty much anything across Apple's servers but it is up to the developer to enable this functionality within the app and decide to what extent data syncs.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

One thing is the Apple ID you use to buy the app from the app store.
A different thing is the Apple ID you use with iCloud.

They can be one and the same, or they can be two different apple ID's.
if you use different Apple IDs, the scenario where you share a iTunes account apple ID with your wife, then use a different icloud apple id account is perfectly possible and not at all stopped or in any way made difficult by apple.
.

This is right.
You can buy apps with one Apple ID (and use it on multiple iOS devices) and then use a different Apple ID for iCloud on each iOS device to keep data for each app separate in the cloud.

Interesting. Thanks for the help. But I would probably keep the same ICloud apple ID for my wife and I anyway because most things we would want to keep in sync... Hmmm but I guess I can think of a lot of things we might not necessarily want to keep in sync now that I think about it more...

It's very much up to the developer to decide how to implement the storage API.. in theory there's no limit but you need to take into account the amount of time it would take to upload/download content.

game saves, documents, app settings, it's all possible but up to the developer.

Good to know. Thanks! So does all that data STAY in the cloud and count against your storage limit or could it act like photo stream and sync when able and then delete from the iCloud server?

 

[Dwalls90]

Actually you can.

One thing is the Apple ID you use to buy the app from the app store.
A different thing is the Apple ID you use with iCloud.

They can be one and the same, or they can be two different apple ID's.
if you use different Apple IDs, the scenario where you share a iTunes account apple ID with your wife, then use a different icloud apple id account is perfectly possible and not at all stopped or in any way made difficult by apple.

I think this conversation is quite moronic. You can't possibly expect an average Joe to buy 3 copies of angry birds for a family of 2 parents and a child.

Ahh, but so then you will need two separate iCloud accounts and that's 2x the price. So I apologize, I was wrong, this is possible ... if you want the same Apple ID but two iCloud accounts. 5Gb won't go far unless you only have an Angry Birds Save Game though.

And clearly you don't have kids, where for most handheld games they have to have two of their own physical copies of Pokemon to play at the same time, and those are like $40 a pop ... not so bad compared to Angry birds at less than $2 for two kids.

It's not the same to share an itunes store ID with your wife and kids and a very different one to share with other people. That's why each itunes account can be authorised in 5 different computers, and why each computer can sync up to 5 idevices.

As long as use is restricted to personal use only, that is specified by Apple. It is illegal to give away your Apple ID info with the intent of sharing it with others for non-personal use (meaning not by you). The REASON Apple allows more than 1 device but no more than 5 is to accommodate richer clientele who have a Mac Pro in the office, a Mac Mini in the kitchen and a MBP for the road, not so family's can scam itunes and buy an app once for multiple person usage.

This is right.
You can buy apps with one Apple ID (and use it on multiple iOS devices) and then use a different Apple ID for iCloud on each iOS device to keep data for each app separate in the cloud.

However, it isn't necessarily meant to be set up this way, Apple assumes that your Apple ID will be tied together with both your apps and your data; for example, during an iOS 5 setup, it asks for your iCloud Apple ID which will be applied to both the App Store (to fetch previous purchases) and iCloud (to fetch and have access to your data). You then manually have to change your App Store Apple ID to have access to the apps that weren't purchased on that iCloud account. Those apps can then access information stored in the Apple ID iCloud account and save it locally (for quick access) and sync to keep it ordered.

Basically, your "App Store Apple ID" is needed to get the list of apps you've previously purchased and to make sure that you are able to run it while your "iCloud Apple ID" is a pointer to your data. They can be the same (which is intended because it's less confusing) or separate (based on your needs).


The iCloud API lets you sync pretty much anything across Apple's servers but it is up to the developer to enable this functionality within the app and decide to what extent data syncs.

It's going to be a huge mess, hence I see Apple merging iCloud+Apple ID eventually and preventing people from becoming confused. iCloud is confusing as hell to the "average Joe" now, can you imagine explaining this confusion, which is confusing to the average MR nerd?

 

[Mascots]

It's going to be a huge mess, hence I see Apple merging iCloud+Apple ID eventually and preventing people from becoming confused. iCloud is confusing as hell to the "average Joe" now, can you imagine explaining this confusion, which is confusing to the average MR nerd?

I see them keeping the systems segmented because most users won't ever need (or own) more than one Apple ID or even realize that iCloud data can be separated from an App Store Apple ID. Then, for situations when you do need your data separated (e.g., families) the option will be there.

 

[shandyman]

I think this conversation is quite moronic. You can't possibly expect an average Joe to buy 3 copies of angry birds for a family of 2 parents and a child.

It's not the same to share an itunes store ID with your wife and kids and a very different one to share with other people. That's why each itunes account can be authorised in 5 different computers, and why each computer can sync up to 5 idevices.

Lol. Nice to see you trying to justify your scam. That's not the reason 5 devices can be synced, it's for individuals who have multiple devices, a few of my friends have a desktop PC, laptop, iPhone and iPad, that's why they allow up to 5 devices.

You're no different to people that illegally download films.

Using family as an excuse to justify borderline piracy is moronic. When I was younger we had 3 game boys (myself, brother and mum) and we had to get individual games if we wanted to play at the same time. Even now, if you want to run purchased software on more than 1 machine you need to pay for each. So there's no justification for it.

 

[twitt3r]

Apple claims that things such as game saves will be stored in the cloud, but again, at the discretion of the developer. I long for a day when we just see one version of an app instead of iPhone, retina, iPad versions, so that we can sync our data across our iPads and iPhones, ect.

It's called a universal app, nothing new or special there. It's the lazy developers, or should that be smart developers wanting to charge people multiple times for the near-identical content.