A growing number of users on Apple's support forums are reporting an issue with iOS 8 and the time zones of synced calendar events, reports Forbes. Known by users as the "GMT bug," the issue is causing confusion as calendar events sometimes see a secondary time zone (frequently GMT) added on.

gmt-bug
The issue is documented in a lengthy thread on Apple's support forums that was started shortly after iOS 8 was released, and it has continued to gain significant attention since that time. According to user reports, calendar events created in one time zone are converted to another timezone possibly when they sync across a server.

Most of the affected appointments originate from either Google or Microsoft Exchange calendars that are linked to the default iOS calendar app. While the appointment remains at the correct time for the user, the actual time setting becomes defined in GMT rather than the user's local time zone, which can cause issues if the user edits the entry without realizing the different time zone.


There are conflicting reports, however, over whether this behavior is indeed a bug or not. Apple support representatives reportedly have confirmed to at least one user that the company is aware of the issue and working on a fix, while others have been told this is expected behavior.

The issue may in fact be related to a "Time Zone Override" setting in iOS 8 that allows users to maintain a consistent time zone for their calendars even while traveling to different time zones, but even if the GMT addition is intended behavior the implementation is clearly causing confusion for many users.

Apple last updated iOS to version 8.1.2 in December with a fix for disappearing ringtones. A minor iOS 8.1.3 update is in testing with Apple engineers and retail staff, with a public launch expected soon. Developers are now also using iOS 8.2 betas, the fourth of which was released in last week. None of the public or beta versions of iOS are yet confirmed to contain a provision to address this issue.

Top Rated Comments

mms13 Avatar
137 months ago
How long has time been around again? Time bugs just make me laugh. It's funny how something so old is still gotten wrong by so many [programmers].

As a programmer, I can tell you that time zones cause some of the biggest headaches across all types of development. It's really not that surprising.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
baryon Avatar
137 months ago
This is nothing compared to the bug (it's actually a feature but I refuse to call it that) in OS X's calendar which changes the TIME of ALL events (in the past, present and future) if you simply move your computer into a different country. I mean holy hell, you just VISIT Paris and suddenly your flight is 5 hours earlier than it should be just because you didn't specify that at the time when you will be looking at the screen, you will be in the GMT+01 time zone.

And no turning on Time Zone Support doesn't solve this.

Paper calendars are still far more reliable than ones made by Apple.

Calendars should not know about the existence of time zones at all. It's a calendar, not a world clock. A meeting at 5pm is a meeting at 5pm, period. I don't care where it is, surely I know what the current time is in the current location I happen to be in.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Razeus Avatar
137 months ago
Well it's iOS 8 so even the simplest of things are riddled with bugs. :rolleyes:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morris Avatar
137 months ago
UTC wtf is dat?

Oh yea it's jealously ... GMT the time zone they don't want to use because it's a British invention.

(So the story goes)

(All this drama because)
UTC and GMT are not the same. Although the time difference between both is almost zero (approximately due to leap seconds and earth rotation not being constant), GMT is a time zone while UTC is not (it is an atomic scale).

Whenever you do anything with times or dates in computing you should always use UTC and ISO8601 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601) Years/Months/Weeks/Days internally. Depending on someone's location or time zone you then convert from UTC to what's relevant wherever they are at that particular time.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LunarFalcon Avatar
137 months ago
Seems like this would be a great time for the new Google Calendar for iOS app to come out.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
leon44 Avatar
137 months ago
A small victory for those of us who live under GMT anyway
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...