In something of a bizarre move, HTC has announced it will be closing down its online sync and backup service for smartphone and tablet users, HTCSense.com.
The web portal allows HTC users to sync their contacts, calendars, messages and call history, as well as creating backups of their devices. HTC recently emailed those registered with the site about the closure, explaining what was happening and advising to download their content ASAP.
HTCSense.com will be no more come 30th April, and HTC is urging its users to download whatever content they currently have stored on the site before then, otherwise it will simply be deleted along with the website. To download your HTCSense backups and sync content into one easy .zip folder, follow these instructions:
- Visit http://www.htcsense.com
- Log in with your HTCSense.com username and password
- Click the ‘Download’ button in the Account Overview section
- A .zip file containing your data will download to your computer
HTC smartphone owners will no longer be able to sync and backup their phones to the website after April 30th, and will need to find an alternative. There are plenty of backup apps and services out there, and Gadget Helpline recommends MyBackup – a simple, free backup app that can be downloaded from the Play Shop, that allows you to back up to your device’s SD card or to the cloud.
The company says that new services are being worked on in place of HTCSense.com, but the move to close down the service before then simply makes no sense. Until we find out what HTC plans to launch in its place, users will be left between a rock and hard place in terms of backing up their devices. We feel the company could have handled this a little better – at least explaining what would be coming next and when we can expect it so that users don’t feel completely deserted.
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.