Google has introduced a new way to sync Google Contacts between the desktop and mobile devices. This comes in the form of the CardDAV open protocol. Developers will be able to take advantage of the protocol to make their apps better in how they handle your contacts.
Product manager Jeff Ellingson explains in a blog post, “For many years, we’ve supported two open protocols for accessing Gmail and Calendar from mobile apps and devices: IMAP for email and CalDAV for calendar. These protocols, combined with the options to access Gmail, Calendar, and Contacts with your desktop or mobile browser and via native apps on iOS and Android, help ensure you have a great experience regardless of the device you use.”
“Starting today, we’re adding CardDAV – an open protocol for contacts – to that list,” he adds. “CardDAV enables 3rd party clients, like the iOS contacts app, to sync your Google contacts. By supporting IMAP, CalDAV, and CardDAV together, we’re making it possible for 3rd parties to build a seamless Google Account sync experience.”
To sync your contacts to your device, open the Settings app on your device, select Mail, Contacts, Calendars, then select Add Account, then Other, then “Add CardDAV Account.” From there, fill out your account info. Under “Server,” enter “Google.com”. Under “User Name,” enter your full Google Account or Google Maps email address. Enter your password a description of your account. Then select Next at the top of the screen, and make sure that the Contacts option is turned on.
After you do all of that, just open the Contacts app on your device, and syncing will automatically begin. You can find more about the process in this help center article from Google.