iCloud iCloud Mail changes with iOS 15 and past issues with reliability, read status sync, and silent filtering

[exi]

(This was originally posted to the iOS forum but is perhaps better here.)

In years past, I and others here on MR have discussed previous issues with Apple/iCloud Mail and:

1 - reliability/deliverability issues;
2 - silent filtering of perceived spam, sometimes inaccurately, and more aggressively than other services, and;
3 - failure to background synchronize the unread badge count across platforms/devices as messages are read on macOS webmail or Mail.app (or iOS).

Numbers 1-2 were addressed in this (my) thread here amongst other places; number 3, here for example.

I'm curious as to whether anyone can speak to any changes in any of this that may have been made silently as Apple has worked on the iCloud / Mail backend for the new features coming with iOS 15.

Thanks in advance.

 

[exi]

For anyone searching, I'm updating my own thread to say that despite poking around, I've not found anything to speak to #1 or #2, and that the issues with #3 persist (as per this Apple page detailing this known issue).

(edit - link above broken, as Apple did away with that page. It was basically one talking about how lack of background synchronization was expected function.)

 

[Expos of 1969]

And they now are letting people use their custom domain. Let's see how that goes.

 

[impaler]

And they now are letting people use their custom domain. Let's see how that goes.

Is it any better? I have my own domain email and tempted to move to iCloud but I'm so afraid of missing something important.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Is it any better? I have my own domain email and tempted to move to iCloud but I'm so afraid of missing something important.

No idea. I don't use it.

 

[exi]

Also curious if anything is new, different, or better, whether iCloud natively or via custom domains. Not to make light of the other techie benefits of Fastmail, the only real reason I still use it is the read status synchronization and this reliability factor, both of which have been problematic for iCloud over the years.

 

[exi]

Updating my own thread to say that I have tested both iCloud primary email addresses as well as my own domains just out of curiosity yet again recently; the lack of message status synchronization continues. I have used the Apple feedback page to submit that feedback/request for enhancement. I've also used the tcook@apple.com email address to try and get a little more out of the effort, though I realize it's likely not much.

 

[impaler]

Updating my own thread to say that I have tested both iCloud primary email addresses as well as my own domains just out of curiosity yet again recently; the lack of message status synchronization continues. I have used the Apple feedback page to submit that feedback/request for enhancement. I've also used the tcook@apple.com email address to try and get a little more out of the effort, though I realize it's likely not much.

That's not a bug. It's design. Status sync is not something they have neglected - it was a decision made to preserve mobile battery life. You can request it all you want but my view is it won't happen.

 

[exi]

That's not a bug. It's design. Status sync is not something they have neglected - it was a decision made to preserve mobile battery life. You can request it all you want but my view is it won't happen.

I know it's by design and recall the since-defunct Apple support page stating so. I'm no engineer, but it would seem that push updating of status, like Fastmail chose to do with Apple's help, would be of negligible battery impact while greatly improving user experience. Just my two cents.

 

[exi]

This is my thread from 2021. The iCloud website was recently updated (as covered by MacRumors). Of course, there is no reason to assume anything changed on the back end, but does anyone have any observations or anecdotes about whether there have been any recent changes in reliability / "silent filtering" / the read status background update issue?

 

[impaler]

This is my thread from 2021. The iCloud website was recently updated (as covered by MacRumors). Of course, there is no reason to assume anything changed on the back end, but does anyone have any observations or anecdotes about whether there have been any recent changes in reliability / "silent filtering" / the read status background update issue?

Changing the appearance of iCloud.com has nothing to do with backend capability, or their filters. It's just window dressing. If you paint your car a different color, it doesn't fix the broken parts underneath.

 

[exi]

Changing the appearance of iCloud.com has nothing to do with backend capability, or their filters. It's just window dressing. If you paint your car a different color, it doesn't fix the broken parts underneath.

As mentioned. Just curious to see if, at some point, someone actually notices some improvement in those things.

 

[impaler]

As mentioned. Just curious to see if, at some point, someone actually notices some improvement in those things.

Nope. Just rearranging the deck chairs. Reminders still doesn't work.

 

[SnowCrocodile]

I find Outlook / Exchange to be vastly superior to Mail / Apple Mail.

I am still using Apple Mail as my main app but only because I can easily create Reminders from it.