When Apple detailed the new features of iOS 5 and put the final icing with iCloud, many stayed with the 'PC-Free' Scott Forstall announced at the last WWDC. That means that the computer is no longer necessary to have an iPad or iPhone, but we can always sync with iTunes if you have a Mac and want to have to manage it with iTunes.
But ... is it possible to squeeze all the new iOS 5, OS X Lion and iCloud to avoid having to synchronize? Can you fulfill that dream that some have to forget forever iTunes? For a few days I've been making several tests to see what is gained and what is lost "divorce" the Mac an iPhone , and after the jump you can read the conclusions I have drawn on the matter.
How the data behave in an iPhone that is not synchronized?
As each user has their customs and criteria when synchronizing, it is best learned in points split according to the type of data you're trying:
· With iCloud, the contacts email and calendars pose no obstacle. If we have correctly configured the account of the new Apple cloud, these data will behave in the same way whether you synchronize the iPhone as if we do not. A note: we speak post with MobileMe, other services may behave differently after setting them up.
· Applications and books are also updated to perfection, but then have these saved in iTunes data is absurd: we cannot open iOS apps or iBooks in iTunes, so if not we synchronize our iPhone or iPad can now remove them from the library. Otherwise, we'll be downloading and updating applications on iTunes without us any good.
· The photographs we assume no difficulty if we take pictures with the iPhone and have enabled streaming photos in iCloud. Thus we all pics everywhere doing nothing. And if we have a separate chamber, only we have to import the images we have made with it in iPhoto to upload to the cloud automatically (you can override this detail in iPhoto preferences)
· It is in music where the complications begin. As with the other data we Apple make it easy with iCloud, but here and there to pay for possible. Unless we buy songs from the iTunes Store (and only in the iTunes Store), we will have to synchronize the iPhone every time we add new songs. The final solution is iTunes Match, but is not yet available and in Spain can take. So unless we buy us all the songs in iTunes, this is mandatory at least one synchronization. With movies and other videos got it, or buy them on iTunes or again we have the same problem.
· Management unsynchronized podcasts is uncomfortable. You have to check for new episodes manually, and that leads to switch between two applications of the phone repeatedly (the player and the implementation of the iTunes Store). If we usually listen to podcasts regularly is sorely missed check that the system itself and download new episodes of podcasts that we have stored on the device, which already make third party applications like Downcast.
The intermediate step: wireless synchronization
Some of the issues we've discussed can be arranged without actually connecting the cable USB again by synchronizing over the wireless network that offers iOS 5. Anyway, as you can see in the image above these lines, such da synchronization problems in my case a full and proper synchronization occurs only 60-70% of the time. It may be my wireless network problem, but we are talking about an AirPort Extreme WiFi. You still have to refine some things in this regard.
In conclusion, living with an iPad and / or iPhone without iTunes is possible but you have to sacrifice certain comforts and buy music always from the official Apple store. When an independent artist sells his music in another way it is a nuisance, but iTunes Match can fix in a future that is hopefully not far away. Moreover, it should also be said that iCloud has just begun and will certainly improve as Apple will receive feedback for all use we give it.
Finally, one last question: Now that could approach an era where iTunes no longer have to synchronize any device? What changes can be the object There are rumors about an iTunes 11 completely new , and it is something we will discuss in another entry.