Apple says it fixed the iCloud sync issues that plagued developers and apps

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What you need to know

Apple says it has fixed iCloud sync and CloudKit problems that have been an issue for developers.
Third-party apps have been suffering from sync issues for some time thanks to iCloud instability.
Developers have been told that the issues have been fixed.

Apple says that it has fixed an iCloud sync and CloudKit issue that caused third-party apps to suffer from syncing instability. That instability often caused apps to be unable to sync data which users saw as a problem with the app itself. As a result, some developers went so far as to add new pages to their apps that showed whether iCloud was functioning correctly, or not.

Despite developers reporting the problem to Apple on numerous occasions, nothing seemed to improve. However, following media reports of the problem in recent days it seems Apple has taken notice and fixed whatever was causing the problem. As one developer noted on Twitter, sometimes running to the press does work after all.

Regarding the recent iCloud sync issue, I received a very kind and detailed response from Apple indicating that the underlying issue causing the 503 errors/sync failures has been fixed! 🎉 (Please share!)Regarding the recent iCloud sync issue, I received a very kind and detailed response from Apple indicating that the underlying issue causing the 503 errors/sync failures has been fixed! 🎉 (Please share!)— Becky Hansmeyer (@bhansmeyer) January 26, 2022 January 26, 2022

Apple isn't specifically saying what it did to fix the issue, nor what it was in the first place, but developers are unlikely to care too much. Having sync working once more is a big deal, especially for those who had users complain of missing data due to sync being unreliable.

The integration of iCloud is one of the best iPhone features that Android doesn't quite match, but it isn't perfect. Issues like this show how opaque Apple can be when problems crop up and, like in this instance, persist with seemingly no sign of a resolution. It's unfortunate that it took the story appearing in the media for Apple to take note.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.