Next Version of iTunes Restores Local Contact and Calendar Syncing - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Next Version of iTunes Restores Local Contact and Calendar Syncing

by

ituneslogo.jpgApple today seeded a new version of 10.9.3 to employees, reports 9to5Mac, but more importantly, the company also launched a new iTunes 11.1.6 beta, which includes an important syncing feature that has been missing since the launch of Mavericks.

According to the release notes, iTunes 11.1.6 "restores the ability to sync contacts and calendar information to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from your Mac running OS X 10.9.3."

When iOS 7 and Mavericks were introduced back in September, Apple removed local syncing in favor of cloud syncing, allowing users to sync calendars, contacts, bookmarks, and notes only via iCloud. Many users were unhappy with the feature removal and their inability to sync information to their iOS devices using their Macs.

Apple's Support Communities has a 212 page thread on the issue, and MacRumors has received multiple complaints about the removal of local sync since Mavericks was released. It appears that the next version of Mavericks and iTunes 11.1.6 will restore the feature, once again allowing users to sync locally.

At the current point in time, iTunes 11.16 and the newest version of OS X 10.9.3 are only available to Apple employees, but the betas should be seeded to developers in the near future.

Popular Stories

Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Monday April 20, 2026 7:13 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
Read Full Article • 48 comments
Sad iPhone 18 Feature

Leaker: Apple to Downgrade iPhone 18 in Two Ways

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:02 am PDT by
Following the emergence of a rumor that Apple is planning to downgrade the iPhone 18 to cut costs, further detail has emerged suggesting that display and chip specifications will see downgrades. Earlier this week, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the iPhone 18 features "certain manufacturing downgrades" that bring it more into line with the low-cost iPhone 18e model. The...
Read Full Article • 199 comments
Apple Maps General

Tim Cook Calls Apple Maps Launch His 'First Really Big Mistake' as CEO

Thursday April 23, 2026 5:29 am PDT by
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook has named the botched 2012 launch of Apple Maps as his "first really big mistake" in the role, according to a Bloomberg report covering the town hall meeting that was held Tuesday with his recently announced successor, John Ternus. The Maps app launched with mislabeled landmarks, faulty directions, and a user experience that fell well short of Google Maps at the...
Read Full Article • 213 comments

Top Rated Comments

P
pmz
158 months ago
"Had no idea this was missing, since I use iCloud instead." -Everyone
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nermal Avatar
Nermal
158 months ago
Seriously who is still using iTunes to sync Contacts and Calendars in this day and age? :eek: iCloud does everything you need and is the most reliable cloud syncing service on earth.
There can be valid reasons for doing it locally. Imagine for example a one-person business that wants to sync their customers' phone numbers from their computer to their phone. It's a violation of privacy law to give those details to a third-party so it therefore must happen locally.

Edit: I've had a few responses to this. It's based on my own understanding of the NZ Privacy Act which I was led to believe forbade the disclosure of personal information to third-parties without express permission. I could be wrong; I'm certainly not a lawyer, but that's my understanding of the local law. This document (http://www.privacy.org.nz/the-privacy-act-and-codes/privacy-principles/limits-on-disclosure-of-personal-information-principle-eleven/) appears to back this up, as this disclosure doesn't appear to meet any of those criteria.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
R
Rigby
158 months ago
Seriously who is still using iTunes to sync Contacts and Calendars in this day and age? :eek: iCloud does everything you need and is the most reliable cloud syncing service on earth.
People who have confidential contacts or appointments that are not suitable for the cloud (where the information is potentially accessible by hackers, government agencies, and Apple). Think lawyers, investigative journalists, business people without a corporate exchange server etc.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
N
newagemac
158 months ago
Not sure why anyone would go through the time and hassle of doing that anymore but I guess whatever floats your boat.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
longofest Avatar
longofest
158 months ago
Wow! Amazing how much innovation we've seen from Apple today. 8GB iPhone 5C, iPad 4, and now this! They are just kicking Google's butt when it comes to innovation :rolleyes:

I kid. kind of.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
dumastudetto
158 months ago
Seriously who is still using iTunes to sync Contacts and Calendars in this day and age? :eek: iCloud does everything you need and is the most reliable cloud syncing service on earth.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments