This response came via e-mail, a method Jobs has increasingly embraced to answer customer questions.
The question, posed by my good friend Rick Proctor was as follows, "Do you think you will ever allow syncing iPhone to Mac over wifi?" The response was a concise, "Yep, someday."
While "someday" is pretty vague, we're glad that the feature is at least on Apple's agenda. As many new iPad owners have espoused, the fact that the device requires iTunes setup before it can be used feels odd and unnatural. Likewise, the inconvenience of always keeping a cable handy if you want to sync your iPhone apps or contacts while on the move got old a long time ago. In fact, one of the biggest advantages of using cloud-based services like MobileMe or Google's mail services is that your calendars and contacts can be kept updated over the air.
Wireless syncing to a cloud-based system is one thing -- it just requires some sort of data connection. However, if you want to do wireless transfers from a device to a computer, you need to either use Bluetooth or have both devices on the same wireless network. Some applications, like the excellent 1Password -- an app that manages your passwords -- already have this feature built in.
Ideally, users would be able to "pair" a computer with a phone and then automatically (or manually, if the user preferred) sync the two devices whenever they were logged on to the same network. The advantage of Wi-Fi over Bluetooth would be the speed of data transfer (which matters when you're talking about backing up apps or media) and also the range for the device. I know I'd love to be able to sync my iPhone or iPad with my iMac when I'm in my bedroom or living room, rather than having to make the long, exhausting trip 50 feet to my office.
Would you like to be able to wirelessly sync your iPhone with your computer?
Thanks Rick!