With iOS 5 launch in sight, Apple schedules iCloud backup reset

Developers and other brave souls who have been testing out Apple’s iCloud storage service will lose access to their iCloud backups on September 22, as Apple gears up to release the final build of iOS 5 that will end up shipping on the iPhone 5, reports 9to5Mac.

The site believes Apple is resetting iCloud in preparation for the release of the iOS 5 “Gold Master” (GM) build, which is the final retail version of the OS. The reset falls in line with previously rumored timing for Apple’s iPhone 5, which is expected to be announced in late September and released before mid-October.

Apple announced the reset on its developer boards yesterday:

On Thursday, September 22, the iCloud Backup data will be reset. Backing up to iCloud or restoring from an iCloud backup will be unavailable from 9 AM PDT – 5 PM PDT. If you attempt a backup or restore during this time, you will receive an alert that the backup or restore was not successful. After this reset, you will be unable to restore from any backup created prior to September 22. A full backup will happen automatically the next time your device backs up to iCloud.

That Apple is resetting early iCloud backups isn’t too controversial. Developers knew they were just testing out the service, and Apple doesn’t want any backups on its servers that are tied to early releases of iCloud. 9to5Mac notes that the reset doesn’t include data from mail, contacts, reminders, calendars, or bookmarks.