HT4898 Why is Apple downgrading sync support for Mail with iCloud?

Question

In the past, if I didn't move forward when Apple moved forward, all that happened was that I did not have access to new features.
This time, with the demise of MobileMe and the introduction of iCloud, if I don't move forward I lose features, but even worse, even if I do move forward, I still lose features.
In particular, the lack of syncronization under iCloud of Mail's Rules, Accounts, and Smart Mailboxes means that on our several machines I have to manually do updates multiple times, which of course leads to multiple mistakes.
In my view, what Apple has done has the look and feel of customer abuse, something usually attributed to another large tech company.  I can't avoid losing functionality, whether or not I move forward with Apple.
The word disgraceful comes to mind.
Is there a good reason for Apple's policies that concern Mail-feature synchronization?  I'd like to hear them.

Answer 1

Julian Wright wrote:
We are not supposed to speculate here, not supposed to seek further understanding?
What is the point in speculating? All it does is lead to misinformation being put out, a lot of which ends up being taken as fact by those who don't realise it is just speculation. Speculating on unproven facts does not lead to understanding. If you don't know the true reason for something, how can you understand it?
I should not have picked up on the word, speculate, which you introduced in your first reply to me.  These are called Apple Support Communities, after all, and so I was hoping there was a reader somewhere who knew more about the tech world, in particular Apple's world, than I do, and was also someone who could shed light on why Apple has taken the path it has taken.
And Apple aren't saying you can't speculate at all - just not here, on Apple's official forums ... . We're Apple's guests on these forums so  ... you abide by the rules.
So, I checked the Terms of Use, and of course, you are correct. Apple wants no criticism of their policies on the Apple Support Communities forums.  The ASC forums are operated on Apple's dollar, and hence they have the right to manage the forums as they see fit.
The "agreements" we sign every day to use various digital services (or banking services, for that matter) are not negotiated understandings.  They are of the form, "our way or the highway".
Exactly, and if you don't agree with it. Don't use it. Nobody is holding a gun to your head. MobileMe and iCloud and all the other services Apple offers are optional. Nobody has to use them.
I'm disappointed that you used the gun-to-your-head argument, because it stands out as sophmoric, especially in the light of your other observations.  Today's corporations do everything they can to insulate themselves from legal actions of disgruntled customers.  Some of that is understandable because of the litigious nature of our society.  But the one sided agreements, tantamount to sign and we play, otherwise we take our ball and bat and go home, are in fact a de facto coercion to sign.  Were we all to say, No, to such agreements, our society would have to return to the pre-transistor era.  In order to live in our modern society, we have to sign.
I went right to the top months ago, but as is common with the stereotypical large corporation, and now Apple, I was totally ignored.
Just because you didn't receive a reply, doesn't mean your email was not considered. ...
And making requests via email to a CEO isn't like a drive-thru restaurant where they take your order and immediately do as you asked (shareholder or not).
As a matter of logic, the fact that someone does not answer one's letter does not mean that the letter was not read or considered.  As a matter of probability, however, it is quite likely that the letter was ignored or read and ignored, especially since CEO's of large corporations have a staff to handle things like this.  I wrote to Cook because it was reported that he paid attention.
And thanks for educating me on the difference between a CEO and a drive-thru restaurant.
Well, in keeping with the ASC Terms of Use, I'm not supposed to be talking about any of this.  So with due deference to the Terms, over and out.