iCloud is the latest branding of Apple's cloud computing services. It has previously been branded as iTools in 2000, .Mac in 2002, and MobileMe in 2008.[2][3][4]
According to an Apple support page, MobileMe will be discontinued after June 30, 2012, and anyone who had an account as of the unveiling of iCloud has been extended to that date, free of charge.[5]
The official website, www.icloud.com, went live in early August for Apple Developers. On October 12, 2011, iCloud became available to use via an iTunes update.[6] iCloud had 20 million users in less than a week. In June 2011 the Canadian bank RBC Capital Markets found that 76 percent of iPhone owners planned to use iCloud when the service launched, and predicted that 150 million people could eventually sign up for iCloud.[7]
In the WWDC 2011 keynote speech,[10] Apple announced iCloud will replace MobileMe services and that the basic iCloud service will be free of charge.
On introduction in 2011, 5 GB of storage was available without charge. Additional storage could be purchased in tiers of 10, 20, or 50 GB (50 GB being the maximum) for US$20, UK£14, or €16 per 10 GB per year.[storage pricing 1][storage pricing 2][storage pricing 3]
In addition to the free 5 GB, MobileMe members (to be precise, those on "individual" memberships, or the master account user only, not the sub-accounts, for "family pack" memberships) were automatically given the extra 20 GB tier, until the close of the MobileMe service on June 30, 2012.[23]
According to an Apple support page, MobileMe will be discontinued after June 30, 2012, and anyone who had an account as of the unveiling of iCloud has been extended to that date, free of charge.[5]
The official website, www.icloud.com, went live in early August for Apple Developers. On October 12, 2011, iCloud became available to use via an iTunes update.[6] iCloud had 20 million users in less than a week. In June 2011 the Canadian bank RBC Capital Markets found that 76 percent of iPhone owners planned to use iCloud when the service launched, and predicted that 150 million people could eventually sign up for iCloud.[7]
Announcement
The first official mention of iCloud from Apple came on May 31, 2011, when a press release[8] announced that it would demonstrate the service at the WWDC on June 6, 2011. A banner hung at the Moscone Center for WWDC revealed the iCloud logo five days before the official launch.[9]In the WWDC 2011 keynote speech,[10] Apple announced iCloud will replace MobileMe services and that the basic iCloud service will be free of charge.
Features
The cloud-based system allows users to store music, photos, applications, documents, bookmarks, reminders, notes, iBooks, and contacts, as well as serving as a platform for Apple's email servers and calendars. iCloud's storage backend is hosted by Microsoft's Windows Azure and Amazon Web Services.[11][12]iOS Device Backup and Restore
iCloud allows users to back up iOS devices (iDevices) online; they can be restored from backup without connecting to a computer.[13]Find My iPhone
Find My iPhone, formerly part of MobileMe, allows users to track the location of their iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Mac. A user can see the device's approximate location on a map (along with a circle showing the radius depicting the margin of error), display a message or play a sound on the device (even if it is set to silent), change the password on the device, and remotely erase its contents.[14]Photo Stream
Photo Stream is a service supplied with the basic iCloud service which allows users to store the most recent 1,000 photos on the iCloud servers up to 30 days free of charge. When a photo is taken on a device with Photo Stream enabled, it is automatically uploaded to the iCloud servers; from there, it is automatically pushed to the rest of the user's registered devices. Apple has announced that the service will be integrated with the Apple TV set-top box, allowing users to wirelessly view their recent photos on their HDTV.[15]iTunes Match
iTunes Match debuted on 14 November 2011.[17] For an annual charge of $24.99[18] customers can scan and match tracks in their iTunes music library, including tracks copied from CDs or other sources, with tracks in the iTunes Store. Apple lets customers download up to 25,000 tracks in 256 kbps DRM free AAC file format that match tracks in any supported audio file format such as Apple Lossless and mp3 in the customers' iTunes libraries.[19] Customers can also upload any music that is not available in the iTunes Store for download onto other supported devices or computers. Even if a user stops paying for the service, downloaded music is unaffected as it is in DRM-free AAC format.[20] iTunes Match is currently available in 37 countries, including USA, Australia, Europe, and Canada.[21]Storage pricing
Each account has 5 GB of free storage; content purchased from Apple (music, Apps, Audiobooks and music videos) is stored separately and does not count towards the free 5GB limit. Any music files purchased via iTunes can be automatically, or manually if preferred, downloaded to any registered device (e.g. iPods, iPhones, and computers). Also, when a user registers any new device, all previously bought iTunes content can be downloaded from the iCloud servers.[22]On introduction in 2011, 5 GB of storage was available without charge. Additional storage could be purchased in tiers of 10, 20, or 50 GB (50 GB being the maximum) for US$20, UK£14, or €16 per 10 GB per year.[storage pricing 1][storage pricing 2][storage pricing 3]
In addition to the free 5 GB, MobileMe members (to be precise, those on "individual" memberships, or the master account user only, not the sub-accounts, for "family pack" memberships) were automatically given the extra 20 GB tier, until the close of the MobileMe service on June 30, 2012.[23]
