View source for ISync

{{short description|Software application by Apple}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox software
| name = iSync
| logo = iSync icon.png
| screenshot = iSync3.png
| caption = iSync 3 screenshot
| developer = [[Apple Inc.]]
| latest_release_version = 3.1.2 (586.1)
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2010|11|10}}
| latest_preview_version = 
| latest_preview_date = 
| operating_system = [[macOS|Mac OS X]]
| discontinued = yes
| genre = [[Personal information manager]]
| license = 
| website = {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421233345/https://www.apple.com/macosx/features/isync |title=Product page |archive-date=April 21, 2009}}
}}
{{lowercase title|title=iSync}}
'''iSync''' is a defunct application developed by [[Apple Inc.]], which syncs [[Calendar (Apple)|iCal]] and [[Contacts (Apple)|Address Book]] data to [[SyncML]]-enabled mobile phones, via [[Bluetooth]] or by using a [[USB]] connection. It was first released on Jan 2, 2003, with technology licensed from fusionOne. Support for many (pre-October 2007) devices was built-in,<ref>{{cite web |title=iSync: Supported mobile phones in Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5, and 10.6 |url=http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2824  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108063357/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2824 |archive-date=November 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |website=Apple Support}}</ref> with newer devices being supported via manufacturer and third-party iSync Plugins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iSync update adds more cell phone support |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/194357/isync-13.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
iSync's first beta was released on September 28, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple releases iSync beta |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/156062/isync-2.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>

In June 2003, ''The Register'' reported that an iSync 1.1 bug could lead to contacts without phone numbers being deleted from synced phones. iSync uses port 3004, which could also be blocked if the Mac OS X firewall was enabled.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Orlowski |first=Andrew |date=June 5, 2003 |title=iSync update: beware |url=https://www.theregister.com/2003/06/05/isync_update_beware/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=[[The Register]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Orlowski |first=Andrew |date=June 5, 2003 |title=On the iSync fiasco that didn't have to happen |url=https://www.theregister.com/2003/06/05/on_the_isync_fiasco/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=[[The Register]] |language=en}}</ref>

Before the release of [[Mac OS X 10.4]], iSync also synchronized a user's [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] bookmarks with the now-defunct [[.Mac]] subscription service provided by Apple.<ref name="macworld.com">{{Cite web |title=iSync 1.1 adds broader phone support, Safari bookmarks |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/166466/isync-4.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ness |first1=Robyn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eXd_eNdm_j8C |title=Mac OS X Tiger |last2=Ray |first2=John |date=2005 |publisher=Sams Publishing |isbn=978-0-672-32705-6 |language=en}}</ref>

Starting with Mac OS X 10.4, much of iSync's original syncing functionality was moved into the Sync Services framework, which developers can use to incorporate synchronization into their own applications. iSync, however, retained responsibility for the setup, configuration and synchronising of supported mobile handsets.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Siracusa |first=John |date=2005-04-28 |title=Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2005/04/macosx-10-4/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Since the release of iTunes 4.8, the user interface for synchronizing iPods had been delegated to [[iTunes]], although [[Revision control#Common vocabulary|conflict-resolution]] and substantial changes to contact information (>5%) show an iSync panel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New in iTunes 4.8 [updated] |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/175591/newitunes48.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref> Synchronization with [[MobileMe]] (previously .Mac) was then the domain of MobileMe Sync, accessible through a [[System Preferences]] pane.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Review: MobileMe 1.0 |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/191615/mobileme11.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>

iSync was removed from Mac OS X in version [[OS X Lion|10.7 (Lion)]].<ref name="TUAW">{{Cite web |last=Agreda |first=Victor Jr. |date=2011-05-27 |title=No more iSync in Lion |url=http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/26/no-more-isync-in-lion/  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527155151/http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/26/no-more-isync-in-lion/ |archive-date=May 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=[[TUAW]]}}</ref> However, since the underlying framework still existed in Lion and [[OS X Mountain Lion|10.8 (Mountain Lion)]], it was possible to restore the functionality of iSync using a [[Mac OS X Snow Leopard|10.6 (Snow Leopard)]] installation or backup.<ref name="slashusr">{{Cite web |date=July 22, 2011 |title=The Missing iSync in OS X Lion (And what to do about it) |url=https://blog.anupamsg.me/2011/07/22/the-missing-isync-in-os-x-lion-and-what-to-do-about-it/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006014015/https://blog.anupamsg.me/2011/07/22/the-missing-isync-in-os-x-lion-and-what-to-do-about-it/ |archive-date=October 6, 2022}}</ref>

== Device compatibility ==
In 2005, iSync supported [[iPod]]s, [[personal digital assistant]]s (PDAs), [[mobile phone]]s, and other devices;<ref name="Apple iSync 2005">{{Cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/isync/devices.html|title=iSync Compatible Devices|date=April 12, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050412145152/http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/isync/devices.html|archive-date=April 12, 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref> iSync supported phones from Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Sony Ericsson, Siemens, and [[Sendo]].<ref name="Apple iSync 2005" />

Before the release of iSync, Palm had released its own sync software, Palm Desktop for Mac, which it soon abandoned. Apple created its own software tool, called Palm Conduit, to make iSync compatible with Palm's HotSync protocol. iSync 2.0 directly integrated Palm Conduit. After the 2009 Palm Pre abandoned HotSync, Apple dropped Palm support from iSync 3.1 in [[Mac OS X Snow Leopard]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple drops Palm OS HotSync conduit from Snow Leopard |url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/09/08/24/apple_drops_palm_os_hotsync_conduit_from_snow_leopard |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=AppleInsider |date=August 24, 2009 |language=en}}</ref>

[[BlackBerry OS]], [[Palm OS]], and [[Windows Mobile]] ([[Pocket PC]]) devices were not officially supported by iSync, but could still be synchronized through the use of third-party iSync plug-ins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Missing Sync for BlackBerry adds Bluetooth sync |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/194910/missingsyncblackberry.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=That syncing feeling |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/175565/isyncintiger.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Missing Sync for Pocket PC 1.0 available |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/167109/sync-5.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>

==Version history==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 85%;"
|-
! width="10%" | iSync version
! colspan="5" width="20%" | [[Operating system]] version
! width="20%" | Release date
! width="50%" | Features
|-
!
! 10.2
! 10.3
! 10.4
! 10.5
! 10.6
!
!
|-
|3.1.2
|
|
|
|
| {{yes}}
|November 10, 2010
|Final version of iSync.
|-
|3.1.1
|
|
|
|
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
| 3.1
|
|
|
|
| {{yes}}
| August 28, 2009
| Released as part of Mac OS X v10.6
|-
| 3.0.2
| 
| 
|
| {{yes}}
| 
| May 28, 2008
| Released as part of Mac OS X v10.5.3
|-
| 3.0
| 
| 
|
| {{yes}}
| 
| October 26, 2007
| Released as part of Mac OS X v10.5.
|-
| 2.4
| 
| 
| {{yes}}
| 
| 
| March 13, 2007
| Released as a part of Mac OS X v10.4.9 update. Added support for additional mobile handsets from Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson and  offered initial support for two mobile handsets from Samsung.
|-
| 2.3
| 
| 
| {{yes}}
| 
| 
| June 27, 2006
| Released as a part of Mac OS X v10.4.7 update. Added support for additional mobile handsets.
|-
| 2.2
| 
| 
| {{yes}}
| 
| 
| April 3, 2006
| Released as a part of Mac OS X v10.4.6 update. Added support for additional mobile handsets, including many Nokia Series 40 devices.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iSync 2.2 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2006-04-06-isync-2-2.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Engadget |date=April 6, 2006 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| 2.1.1
|
| 
| {{yes}}
| 
| 
| January 10, 2006
| Released as a part of Mac OS X v10.4.4 update. Added support for additional mobile handsets.
|-
| 2.1
| 
|
| {{yes}}
| 
| 
| July 11, 2005
| Added support for more devices.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iSync 2.1 released for Tiger |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/176271/isync-10.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| 2.0
| 
| 
| {{yes}}
| 
| 
| April 29, 2005
| Released as part of Mac OS X v10.4. iSync now only syncs data between portable devices. Data synching between computers is handled by the operating system.<ref name=":0" />
|-
| 1.5
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|
|
| August 10, 2004
| Added support for more devices.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iSync 1.5 adds support for new phones |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/171902/isync-8.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| 1.4
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
| 
|
| February 17, 2004
| Added support for more devices including Symbian phones and the iPod mini.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iSync 1.4 adds iPod mini support, more |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/169789/isync-7.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| 1.3
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|
|
| October 24, 2003
| Released to coincide with [[Mac OS X v10.3]] release. Adding support for more devices.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple offers iSync 1.3 update |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/168525/isync-6.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| 1.2.1
| {{yes}}
| 
|
|
|
| October 8, 2003
| Added support for more devices and calendar support for Symbian phones.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iCal, iSync updated, new features added |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/168297/icalisync.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| 1.1
| {{yes}}
|
|
| 
|
| June 3, 2003
| Added support for more devices. Added bookmark synching between Macs.<ref name="macworld.com"/>
|-
| 1.0
| {{yes}}
|
| 
|
|
| January 2, 2003
| First non-beta release.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple releases iCal update, iSync 1.0 |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/157399/updates-2.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>
|}

== See also ==

* [[SyncML]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020802100111/http://www.apple.com/isync/ |title=iSync product page |date=August 2, 2002)}}
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421233345/https://www.apple.com/macosx/features/isync |title=iSync product page |archive-date=April 21, 2009}}
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817042515/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2205 |title=iSync 1.5: About compatible devices |date=August 17, 2010}}
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108063357/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2824 |title=iSync 2.4 and 3.0 supported mobile phones in Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5 |date=November 8, 2008}}
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820014120/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2520 |title=iSync: About third-party phone device plug-ins for Mac OS X v10.4, 10.5 |date=August 20, 2008}}

{{macOS}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Isync}}
[[Category:MacOS-only software made by Apple Inc.]]
[[Category:Personal information managers]]
[[Category:ITunes]]
[[Category:IPod software]]