Month: July 2024

 iCloud – something that continually confuses users. What is it? Is it good? Is it bad? What does it cost? Is it something that I really need? All the questions, all the time!

OK, to put it simply, iCloud is a service. It’s a service that allows you to sync data (and photos) between devices, back up your data (and photos) to the cloud, and more. There is a free version and a paid tier. 

If there is one takeaway you get from all of this – it’s that iCloud is a SERVICE. It’s Apple’s cloud platform, one that built into every modern Apple device. 

In iCloud, you can sync your data* between devices, including:

• Photos
• Files
• Notes
• Passwords
• Contacts
• Calendars
• Mail (if you opt for an @icloud.com account)

* Sync your data means that all the information that is shared between your devices automatically updated on all devices when changed on one of them. Useful for contacts, calendars, notes, and more.

It also allows you to back up your iOS devices (iPad and iPhone) to the cloud.  Helpful in the event your device gets lost or damaged, you can restore your data onto the replacement device and get on with your day. Simply enable iCloud on the new device, and all your data comes flowing in like water. 

The “Find My” feature helps locate misplaced devices and allows you to track family members. 

One thing in the liability column that Apple could easily improve upon; users are only allocated a Scrooge-like 5 GB for free. After that is gobbled up, you have to pay to play. And you should also understand most of these features are also available from competitors in the same space (namely Google, but there are others), but the hook is that all of these are seamless throughout the Apple ecosystem.

Understand that this is only touching on the most important (read: useful) aspects of iCloud. There’s an entire “family sharing” function, iCloud Private Relay (a fancy way of encrypting data), Hide My Email, HomeKit Secure Video, and more – things most users don’t bother with.