Apple is planning to reset all iCloud backup data on September 22nd, 2011. As noted by 9to5Mac, the announcement was posted to Apple's developer site for both iOS and Mac developers:
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.
Apple's iOS 5 has been undergoing developer testing since its announcement back in June. Developers have been able to test iCloud for backups and storage during the developer betas.
Apple has provided 7 betas to developers thus far, and had been previously rumored to be offering the Golden Master (final version before release) on September 23rd. That same rumor had also incorrectly pinpointed a Beta 8 release a few days ago, but the 23rd date seems to line up nicely with this iCloud backup reset.
Apple had said that iOS 5 would launch "this fall" which technically begins on September 23rd.
Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking!
Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27.
During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14.
iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update.
Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries.
In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....
Speaking of pirating, talk like a pirate day is September 19th! Don't miss it! :D Might have to plunder us some iOS 5 booty... Sorry, I couldn't resist.
EDIT: Now comes the interesting part: Vote down for no sense of humor, vote up for otherwise. Lets see how it goes!
I think it's a huge jump to think that a data reset implies that the release date will follow the next day, or even very shortly afterward.
A data reset suggests that Apple is changing something fundamental (e.g. the format), or otherwise fixing something that can't be done without a reset. If I were doing that, I'd want to beta test that for a while (with developers in this case), before going GM with it. The length of that test would depend on how confident I was of it being problem-free, and whether any additional problems/needed changes turn up.
Once it goes GM, the cost of a reset goes way up, both in data transfer and customer confidence. So, they would want to be very confident that they won't need to do that again, at least in the foreseeable future.
