2017 The Year I Stopped Worrying About Syncing

As I think about all the good and bad of 2017, one thing stands out: I never really worry about how my data gets moved between my computers. In previous years I built fragile, and often complicated, machinery on top of Dropbox. While the Dropbox service has certainly gotten better, including a new API, but so did everyone else. Most surprising to me is how much better Apple got in 2017.

I’ve embraced Apple Notes on macOS, iOS, and even the web. It just works as promised. Files sync and I don’t lose data. My contacts sync through iCloud and so do my calendars. I no longer have duplicate contacts or event conflicts. Photos show up everywhere with Apple Photos app, my music library and custom play lists are always available through Apple Music. I barely think about the mechanics of how my data moves between devices.

With the death of net neutrality in the U.S. this trend may not continue but for this one shining moment in time I’m enjoying the status quo. Maybe in 2018 Messages will sync. That’s something to look forward to.