How iPhones and iPads back up & synchronize with iOS 13 and macOS Catalina

Posted:
in Mac Software edited June 2019
With macOS Catalina, Apple's iTunes has been broken up into discrete apps. Alongside that action, is the migration of iPad and iPhone synchronization to someplace obvious -- the Finder itself.

Finder pairing of an iPad to macOS Catalina
Finder pairing of an iPad to macOS Catalina


If you're looking to sync to a device from a Mac, the best, and still fastest way to do it is with a cable to the Mac -- USB to Lightning for most devices, or USB-C to USB-C with new gear and the iPad Pro.

Upon connecting, the same authentication process proceeds as it did with iTunes. The iPad we've used here will pop up a dialog box, asking to authenticate the pairing for security purposes.

  • The iPad popup is the same that it's been for a while


Otherwise, the sync process, and the categories for synchronization are about the same, as is the mechanic behind it. Users drag content into any particular category, and hit Sync. Content of any kind including data in the Files app can be deleted from the appropriate screen as well.

Speeds are similar, perhaps slightly favoring Mojave -- but this can be attributed to the beta nature of Catalina and iOS 13.



We've tested a fourth generation iPod touch running iOS 6.1.6, an original iPad running iOS 5, and a third generation iPod with the sync in macOS Catalina. All three work fine in Catalina, even if the icons on the Finder aren't quite right, or completely absent. And, remember, you can still download versions of apps that will run on older gear.

App synchronization has been gone for a while, and the iTunes 12.6.3 that Apple re-released after it stripped the feature from iTunes 12.7 hasn't worked in Mojave for some time. Apple expects users to rely on the cloud for app download, and it doesn't appear that the ability to sync apps from a Mac is returning. With the continued failure of iTunes 12.6, enterprise users should use Apple's Configurator 2 app, or another device management scheme to manage apps.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,954member
    Very Smart move. So natural.
    Solichasm
  • Reply 2 of 16
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,038member
    cornchip said:
    Very Smart move. So natural.
    When they showed that I instantly wondered why they didn't move to that a long time ago.

    PS: I wonder if the break up will mean that items are no longer stored in an iTunes folder under ~/Music/. I've always moved this into ~/ but would prefer to see them broken up into ~/Music/, ~/Movies/, ~/TV Shows/.
  • Reply 3 of 16
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,919administrator
    Soli said:
    cornchip said:
    Very Smart move. So natural.
    When they showed that I instantly wondered why they didn't move to that a long time ago.

    PS: I wonder if the break up will mean that items are no longer stored in an iTunes folder under ~/Music/. I've always moved this into ~/ but would prefer to see them broken up into ~/Music/, ~/Movies/, ~/TV Shows/.
    We addressed this yesterday. They are broken up, somewhat.

    https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/06/04/apple-is-not-deleting-your-itunes-or-movie-purchases-and-it-isnt-getting-out-of-media-sales
    Solichasm
  • Reply 4 of 16
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 972member
    Good move. Incredible that some Apple UX guy thinks putting all those buttons in a tight row is a good idea, though.
    edited June 2019
  • Reply 5 of 16
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    Dear AI, please please stop giving us screenshots using that awful "dark mode". It's difficult to read, confusing to look at. Stick with the light mode and forget the gimmicks. 
    mike54jashue
  • Reply 6 of 16
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,919administrator
    spice-boy said:
    Dear AI, please please stop giving us screenshots using that awful "dark mode". It's difficult to read, confusing to look at. Stick with the light mode and forget the gimmicks. 
    We have far more requests for the shots in dark mode.
    caladanianSoli1STnTENDERBITSdoozydozenchasmwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 16
    techsavytechsavy Posts: 34member
    The UI definitely is an improvement.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    spice-boy said:
    Dear AI, please please stop giving us screenshots using that awful "dark mode". It's difficult to read, confusing to look at. Stick with the light mode and forget the gimmicks. 
    We have far more requests for the shots in dark mode.
    Sorry it's ugly and only cool for those that want to pretend they work for the NSA or make believe sci-fi movie. You know a study will come out sooner or later explain how dark mode  damages  users eyes. 
    edited June 2019 mike54
  • Reply 9 of 16
    MicDorseyMicDorsey Posts: 100member
    Sorry it's ugly and only cool for those that want to pretend they work for the NSA or make believe sci-fi movie. You know a study will come out sooner or later explain how dark mode  damages  users eyes.  Dark mode is gloomy with eye-straining text. I feel SO uncool for thinking it is about the least impressive thing Apple has done in years. However, it does pacify all the mindless lemmings riding the "Apple never innovates" bandwagon.
  • Reply 10 of 16
    mygigmygig Posts: 40member
    Does anyone know what will happen to iTunes on windows?
  • Reply 11 of 16
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    The bigger question I have about these two update is IOS 13 and OSX 10.15 now totally dependent on each other. Apple did not make it clear that ibooks on IOS 12 was not compatible with OSX 10.13 you had to migrates your macs to OSX 10.14 for book syncing to work. We made the mistake of updating our phones to IOS12 only to find out some features stop working unless we updated our Macs to 10.14, which we have not since 10.14 break some software we use and the 10.14 update for those software has bugs or is non existing. 

    I have no issue staying on old software, but Apple need to make it clear they are making this break and thing stop work. With apple once you move forward you can not aways go backwards. As much as Apple does a good job of supporting old hardware as long as possible (our oldest is 2012 IMac which still running strong) It look like Apple with 10.14 and 13 is drawing another line in the sand which requires you to update hardware and look at another whole set of software to use and can no longer rely on what you always used.
  • Reply 12 of 16
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    Is it still hold that iPhone and iPad backup to external drive not natively available?
  • Reply 13 of 16
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,734member
    Ii wonder if the original iPods will still be supported?   I still have my iPod 3G!
  • Reply 14 of 16
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,038member
    eriamjh said:
    Ii wonder if the original iPods will still be supported?   I still have my iPod 3G!
    Has any iPod ever stopped working because they updated macOS?
  • Reply 15 of 16
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,525member
    spice-boy said:
    Sorry it's ugly and only cool for those that want to pretend they work for the NSA or make believe sci-fi movie. You know a study will come out sooner or later explain how dark mode  damages  users eyes. 
    That's your opinion, rather than a fact. Maybe you should learn the difference. While speaking of facts, it appears to be a fact that dark mode is easier on the eyes, especially on OLED screens: https://www.popsci.com/night-dark-mode-design

    Yay, you learned some things today!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 16
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,525member
    mygig said:
    Does anyone know what will happen to iTunes on windows?
    Windows will continue using the monolithic, current iTunes for the foreseeable future. No changes whatsoever.
    watto_cobra
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