14 DAY TRIAL // A widely-discussed bug in iOS 8 involving the Calendar app and GMT timezones has finally been addressed, according to customer reports. Interestingly, the fix appears to have come not from Apple, but from Google.
Known as the “GMT bug,” this error occurred when users scheduled events and / or meetings in the iOS Calendar app with certain criteria applied.
Because of discrepancies between the user’s timezone and the destination servers for their preferred calendar service (i.e. Google Calendar), the events failed to trigger their designated alarms or notifications, causing users to miss meetings and other important scheduled stuff.
Plaguing users since September 2014
The flaw in question has been affecting iOS 8’s calendar app since September. In other words – since the new OS debuted alongside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Despite users confirming the bug’s existence from virtually day one, Apple did nothing (that we knew of) to address the situation in a timely fashion.
However, it now appears that the problem was actually not in Apple’s jurisdiction, but in Google’s. Several commenters on Apple Support Communities, as well as on other forums, reveal that the search giant has flipped a switch and the GMT bug is now gone.
Many users seem to be associating the fix with the newly-released iOS 8.1.3, but we’ve been led to believe that the new firmware actually has nothing to do with the fix.
iOS 8.2 mentions Calendar fix
It is worth noting that Apple itself appears to have taken some steps to address Calendar sync issues, but only in the newest iOS 8.2 beta. According to the seed notes offered by Apple alongside the new build, 3rd-party calendar sync has been fixed.
Whether or not this fix has anything to do with the widespread GMT bug is currently unknown. iOS 8.2 is reportedly scheduled to show its face to the public around March. There’s also a chance Apple will hold a new product launch right about then.