Do you want to know more about iCloud storage? Read through this guide as I unravel all that this technology has to offer.
Overview
iCloud storage is a service from Apple that enables you to securely store your photos, files, notes, passwords, and other data in the cloud. Furthermore, this technology keeps all your files up to date (synchs), across all your devices automatically.
In addition to that, it also allows you to share photos, files, notes, and more with friends and family. Precisely, the photo-sharing option of iCloud storage enables you to create albums of places or events, and share them with your friends and family.
Furthermore, your friends and family can also leave comments or upload their own photos or videos to the shared albums.
Without a doubt, iCloud is surely one of the best online cloud storage platforms. It offers 5GB of free cloud storage.
In addition to that, iCloud also offers subscription storage plans that give 50GB, 200GB, and 2TB of file storage.
Also, you don’t need to have an Apple device to use this technology. All you need to do is, create an account on iCloud.com to get your Apple ID, and you are good to go.
With that said let us proceed to talk about how this technology works.
How Does iCloud Storage Work?
In the last section, I mentioned that iCloud storage is an Apple service that lets you store, manage and access all your files in the cloud. I also hinted that you need to create an account on iCloud or have an Apple device in order to access this technology.
Therefore, once you have all that in place on your device, every photo you take, or file you save is automatically stored in the iCloud drive. This storage drive then lets you access your files anytime and any day on your devices.
In this regard, you can access the files from the Files app on your iOS, iPad OS, Mac, or Windows devices. Furthermore, you can also share with family and friends.
Moreover, the iCloud storage offers several storage plans that allow you to share everything with up to five other family members. Notably, this does not change or affect the price of the storage plan.
Thus you do not have anything to worry about. To know more about the storage plans that this technology offers, continue reading as I will be discussing that in the next section.
Features of iCloud Storage
Apple iCloud storage has loads of amazing features. However, we’ll be discussing just a few in this section.
Here’re the main features of iCloud storage:
iCloud Drive
iCloud Drive is considered the most significant feature of iCloud storage. This is because, while iCloud mostly serves to store all kinds of data and back up your device, the iCloud Drive focuses more on sharing those data and interaction among your devices.
Therefore, data in one device can be shared among other devices without copying, sending, or transferring. For instance, if you are working on a file on your PC, then you make a few changes and save it on your cloud storage, iCloud Drive syncs the file to all your devices.
Then, the iCloud drive allows you to continue working on the saved file on any other of your devices.
iCloud Storage Plans
As mentioned in the overview section, iCloud offers you 5GB of free storage immediately after you sign up. However, if you need more storage space, you can subscribe to any of Apple’s iCloud+ premium storage plans.
This subscription gives you access to more storage for your files, photo backups, and additional features that are only available to subscribers. The storage plans are:
- iCloud+ with 50GB storage. This storage plan offers you 50 GB of storage and other features like iCloud private relay, hide my email, custom email domain, HomeKit secure video support for one camera, and Share everything with up to five other family members.
- iCloud+ with 200GB storage. With 200 GB this storage plan also offers the same features as the 50 GB plan. However, the HomeKit secure video support for this plan is up to five cameras.
- iCloud+ with 2TB storage. The 2 TB plan delivers everything the other storage plans offer and even more. To be specific, HomeKit secure video support is for an unlimited number of cameras.
iCloud Photo Library
This is a feature of iCloud storage that allows you to save, access, and view your photos. To save and access your photos on iCloud storage is pretty easy, but it varies for the device you use.
Nevertheless, once you turn on iCloud Photos, you are automatically saving photos and videos to a single library that you can access remotely.
Family Sharing
Family sharing permits sharing iCloud storage services with up to five family members. Using this family sharing, authorized family members can share everything from music, photo, books, and videos to apps.
Besides, all iCloud plans can be shared with people in the same family sharing group, and the subscription price would remain the same.
iCloud Keychain services
iCloud enables sharing of Keychain information like files, documents, and passwords across multiple authorized devices. Specifically, this feature helps eliminate the need for a third-party password management program.
Furthermore, it also makes it easier for iCloud users to navigate files and documents without having to save multiple passwords for numerous files.
Pros of iCloud Storage
File Accessibility
You can view your files online via iCloud.com or its app on iOS devices and the Finder on your Mac computer. You can also get the app for Windows OS.
Moreover, in the event of a hard drive failure or other hardware malfunction, you can access your files on the cloud easily using any other device.
Recovery
Another major benefit or advantage of iCloud storage is that it makes file recovery easy.
Precisely, iCloud backs up files from your local storage or physical drives in the cloud. Thus, if there is an issue with your hardware or local storage, you can easily retrieve important files and documents from the cloud using another device.
Costs Less Per GB Than Physical Storage
Purchasing physical storage can be very expensive. Besides, the hardware components of physical storage pose another means of incurring costs for physical storage.
However, without the need for hardware, cloud storage is exceptionally cheaper per GB.
Security
With iCloud storage, your files are secured through layers of encryptions on the cloud. As a result, unauthorized persons would not be able to access your files and documents.
Synchronizing and Updating
When you are working with iCloud storage, every time you make changes to a file it will be automatically synced and updated across all of your devices.
Cons of iCloud Storage
iCloud Storage is Highly Dependent on Internet Connection
Without an internet connection, this storage technology is not useful. This is because, while working without the internet, data from your device will not save on the cloud.
So, since your data is not synced to the cloud, it will not be synced to your other devices.
I find this a bit disappointing. Making the service available online and offline would have made it preferable.
Still Dependent on a Hard Drive
Cloud storage is expected to eliminate the need for local storage on a device. However, iCloud storage is still dependent on your local storage.
Additional Data Cost
Apart from the storage plan that this technology offers, additional data costs are generally incurred for uploading and downloading files from the cloud.
File Sharing is Limited
File sharing with iCloud is limited only to those on your storage plan.
Therefore, you cannot share files with cloud users who are not authorized by you. Also, you cannot share files with non-cloud storage users.
Privacy Concerns
Data on the cloud storage have layers of encryption. However, there is a slightly gray area around the privacy of your content.
Therefore, you cannot overrule the possibility of unauthorized users.
Conclusion
iCloud storage is an ideal and reliable means of cloud storage that Apple designed for all types of devices. This storage technology enables users to store, access, and retrieve files from the cloud.
Furthermore, it allows you to share event memories (photos, videos, notes, and more) with family and friends. In addition to that, signing up for this storage technology delivers you 5 GB of free cloud storage to backup important files and documents.
However, like most storage, iCloud comes with some flaws. To mention a few, it does not support offline usage, file sharing is only for your family group and there’s an additional data cost for uploads and downloads.
Apart from that, this storage technology is highly efficient, fast, and reliable. Thus, although it is not compulsory to have iCloud on your device, I will recommend you install it.
Besides, technological gadgets can be unpredictable. Therefore, on account of malfunction, you can easily recover your documents using another device.
I hope I was able to explain iCloud storage and how it compares to other types of storage. I also hope that you found the article easy to understand.
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Finally, you may find other helpful articles on our Storage & Disk Technology Explained page.
