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"WiFi" Sync

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MacMan07

macrumors member
Oct 10, 2011
37
0
UK
Yep, this has been a huge disappointment for me.

Wi-Fi Sync requires you to be on the same network as the host computer and be plugged into a power source. You're as well just plugging it in to your computer using the USB cable... which is what we have always done! :confused:

Let's be honest, if you have your computer on, are needing to plug in your device and want to sync stuff, there's no real scenario where you would have the device plugged in to the wall socket while syncing with computer in the other room. I'm sure there will be some people who will do this but it's hardly going to satisfy the masses - most will just plug it into a computer.

In my opinion, Apple know this is a battery drainer and are scared to introduce true wireless syncing as they know it will mean they have to advertise decreased battery life times.
 
D

DarwinOSX

macrumors 68000
Nov 3, 2009
1,658
193
They don't want a sync to fail because the phone ran out of power. Fewer support calls.

berkleeboy210 said:
I was HIGHLY disappointed when I tried to Wirelessly Sync my iPad and my MacBook Air when I got the message "Must be plugged into power"....

Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

And yes, they are both connected to the same WiFi and I've enabled it on my Mac.

:mad:
Click to expand...
 
JForestZ34

JForestZ34

macrumors 6502a
Nov 18, 2007
958
246
I'm trying out the wi fi sync now and it works well.. It is using some good CPU power though.. The MBP is getting pretty hot.....I'm just syncing 3000 pics so it shouldn't be that taxing on the system should it? Would be alot faster via USB though...


James
 
Patriot24

Patriot24

macrumors 68030
Dec 29, 2010
2,813
805
California
MacMan07 said:
Yep, this has been a huge disappointment for me.

Wi-Fi Sync requires you to be on the same network as the host computer and be plugged into a power source. You're as well just plugging it in to your computer using the USB cable... which is what we have always done! :confused:

Let's be honest, if you have your computer on, are needing to plug in your device and want to sync stuff, there's no real scenario where you would have the device plugged in to the wall socket while syncing with computer in the other room. I'm sure there will be some people who will do this but it's hardly going to satisfy the masses - most will just plug it into a computer.

In my opinion, Apple know this is a battery drainer and are scared to introduce true wireless syncing as they know it will mean they have to advertise decreased battery life times.
Click to expand...

The intention was never to offer a complete remote sync option, as far as I know. iCloud takes care of some of that, but you can't expect to sync up to 64 GB of data daily via random Wi-Fi networks (let alone 3G...).

Frankly, iCloud does a great job of keeping most of the important things up-to-date. I'm not sure why I need to be able to sync play counts or ratings every 15 minutes to iTunes.
 
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Dangerdog3000

macrumors member
Aug 26, 2009
75
0
It is kind of disappointing if you have a notebook. If I have my iPhone plugged in, my notebook will be on and my iPhone will be in there. In all other scenarios its either in standby or completely off, in which case it won't sync. So it's really like I don't have wireless synching at all.
 
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nocera

macrumors newbie
Sep 12, 2010
3
0
I have the updated iTunes and iOS, however, there is NO option for Wifi syncing in the summary of my device on iTunes. It's not that the syncing isn't working, it's that the option to do so isn't even there. Any ideas?
 
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docprego

macrumors 65816
Jun 12, 2007
1,243
106
Henderson, NV
This thread has confused me. What is the bottom line? Does my iPad or iPhone need to be plugged into power or not to sync wirelessly? I'm not concerned if its automatic or not, I just want to be able to truly sync wirelessly.
 
MacManiac76

MacManiac76

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2007
1,875
715
Arizona
nocera said:
I have the updated iTunes and iOS, however, there is NO option for Wifi syncing in the summary of my device on iTunes. It's not that the syncing isn't working, it's that the option to do so isn't even there. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Apparently wi-fi sync requires Snow Leopard or Lion to have the option show up in iTunes.

docprego said:
This thread has confused me. What is the bottom line? Does my iPad or iPhone need to be plugged into power or not to sync wirelessly? I'm not concerned if its automatic or not, I just want to be able to truly sync wirelessly.
Click to expand...

You do not need to be connected to a power source to initiate a wi-fi sync. It will however perform a wi-fi sync automatically when you connect to power.
 
B

blackjackmark

macrumors 6502a
Apr 19, 2010
501
205
MacMan07 said:
Yep, this has been a huge disappointment for me.

Wi-Fi Sync requires you to be on the same network as the host computer and be plugged into a power source. You're as well just plugging it in to your computer using the USB cable... which is what we have always done! :confused:
Click to expand...
Confused as well. During the intro, it was clearly stated that you did not need a computer...or at least that's certainly the way I interpreted it. A friend has always wanted an iPad but has no PC, and I've always told him he can't do it. When they announced the iCloud, I told him he could now get an iPad. I sure hope I didn't get his hopes up for nothing!
 
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nocera

macrumors newbie
Sep 12, 2010
3
0
MacManiac76 said:
Apparently wi-fi sync requires Snow Leopard or Lion to have the option show up in iTunes.
Click to expand...

Yup, that'd be the reason then. Is it worth updating to Snow Leopard to be able to sync wirelessly? I'm using a 2008 MacBook aluminum unibody 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GB memory.
 
ajcadoo

ajcadoo

macrumors 6502
Sep 17, 2011
276
132
San Diego, CA
I wanna be able to have my iphone sync when my MBP is in sleep mode and when iTunes is closed! That way it all runs in the background overnight. The whole Wifi sync is pretty much like using a usb.
 
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Nachoconqueso

macrumors regular
Aug 17, 2011
175
0
My iPad doesn't need to be connected to a power source to get the sync going. Just tested and sent some pdfs over.
 
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imahawki

macrumors 6502a
Apr 26, 2011
612
8
So for wi-fi sync, I notice if my wife has the lid closed on her MacBook, it doesn't sync over wi-fi. That's kind of a bummer. I was hoping she might stay more in sync with the wi-fi sync but I'm guessing most of the time her laptop is "active" her iPhone won't be charging (it will be in her purse or something) and her having to go into settings and kick off a sync isn't any more likely to happen than her plugging in her iPhone into the laptop to start with.

Kind of worthless if this isn't addressed. My wife NEVER connects her iPhone to her laptop. I was hoping this would fix the issue. And I didn't enable iCloud because we share an iTunes/Apple ID. I don't want our iPhones to be mirrors of each others and I don't want separate Apple IDs.
​
 
C

ConnYoungy

Cancelled
Aug 14, 2010
535
201
Yeah i was hoping wifi sync would be more like "cloud-at-home" so like you're laptop/computer knows your phone is within range and begins a sync, and continues to sync new info as long as the phone is in range, maybe turning off at 50% charge or something to prevent flattening the phone
 
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SurferMan

macrumors 65816
May 14, 2010
1,267
51
South FL
WiFi sync is a joke, kinda bs is this. Gloat about it, then it ends up it only works if you buy Lion or Snow Leopard? Yeh I'm gonna buy Lion after all the issues people are having and still reporting. Guess OS/X 10.5.8 isn't good enough and Apple wants more money :rolleyes:
 
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TheVoski

macrumors newbie
Mar 31, 2010
12
1
I have "Sync with this iPhone" on in iTunes. I have the new iOS5 and new iTunes. I have a HP-PC and it's not syncing with my iPhone when plugged in right next to my PC. Also, when I download stuff (mainly free podcasts) on my PC it's not automatically going to my iPhone 4. What am I doing wrong?

I went into iTunes WiFi Sync in my iPhone and it only lets me sync when I have the USB plugged into my PC. When its plugged inot the wall it says "Sync will resume when "STEVE-HP" is available"
 
S

Siouxhockey

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2011
1
0
2 iphones

How will it work to have 2 iphones sync over wifi on the same network/computer? We have for our purchases for itunes off of one account but for icloud we will have two seperate Apple IDs
 
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