Calendar (Apple)

Calendar (formerly iCal) is a personal calendar application made by Apple Inc. that runs on the macOS and iOS operating systems. It offers online cloud backup of calendars using Apple's iCloud service, or can synchronize with other calendar services, including Google Calendar and Microsoft Exchange Server.

The application enables the creation, modification, and deletion of events and reminders, which are automatically synchronized with iCloud to update all connected devices. Calendar allows multiple calendar subscriptions, is capable of sending and accepting event invitations through email, and supports notifications.

Features

Calendar's main features include:

• Creation and management of event invitations
• Multiple calendar subscriptions for various purposes (work, personal, holidays)
• Integration with iCloud for real-time synchronization across devices
• Support for Google Calendar, Microsoft Exchange Server, and other CalDAV servers
• Customizable notifications for events and reminders
• Day, week, month, and year views to organize and view events

History

Originally released as iCal in 2002 as part of Mac OS X 10.2, the application was rebranded as Calendar with the release of OS X Mountain Lion in 2012. The rebranding coincided with significant design changes and functionality improvements, reflecting Apple's shift towards a more unified naming scheme across its software lineup.

Integration

Calendar integrates closely with other Apple applications and services. For example, it works alongside Reminders for task and event management, and it can use Apple Maps for adding locations to events, which assists in providing directions. The application's integration with Siri allows users to add events using voice commands.

Compatibility

While primarily designed for Apple's operating systems, Calendar's support for standard protocols like CalDAV and subscriptions in iCalendar (.ics) format allows it to be compatible with a wide range of third-party services and applications.

Reception

Calendar has been praised for its clean, intuitive interface and its seamless integration with other Apple services. However, it has faced criticism for its lack of certain advanced features found in competing calendar applications.