Amazon takes on Apple's Photo Stream with Cloud Drive Photos iOS app
Amazon on Friday released its Cloud Drive Photos app, and corresponding 5 gigabytes worth of free cloud storage, in what is essentially a competitor to Apple's own iCloud-based Photo Stream service.
Like Photo Stream, images are uploaded to Amazon's cloud through Amazon Cloud Drive Photos, which accesses an iOS device's camera roll, or via an OS X app that can be downloaded from Amazon's website. Photos can then be viewed on the iOS and OS X apps, or on a web client.
As Amazon does not have access to high-level iOS device functions, operation is not as seamless as Apple's implementation, but the app brings an automated mode that comes close to replicating the Photos, iPhoto and iCloud experience. First the app asks for access to a user's camera roll, and once the auto setting is turned on, will upload new photos as they are added.
Manual options include the backing of a user's entire entire camera roll, or just select photos from various albums. As with other cloud storage apps, as well as Apple's own Photos, Amazon Cloud Drive Photos supports sharing via Facebook, Twitter and email.
Another consideration is storage. Apple only allows 1,000 photos to be stored on its servers for up to 30 days, while Amazon affords 2,000 pictures with no time limit. The online retail giant also has extra storage options for shutterbugs, with three subscription tiers starting at 20GB for $10 per year, 50GB for $25, and 100GB for $50.
Amazon Cloud Drive Photos for iOS comes in at 11.2MB and can be downloaded for free from the App Store. Use of the app and its attached cloud storage assets require an Amazon.com account.
Like Photo Stream, images are uploaded to Amazon's cloud through Amazon Cloud Drive Photos, which accesses an iOS device's camera roll, or via an OS X app that can be downloaded from Amazon's website. Photos can then be viewed on the iOS and OS X apps, or on a web client.
As Amazon does not have access to high-level iOS device functions, operation is not as seamless as Apple's implementation, but the app brings an automated mode that comes close to replicating the Photos, iPhoto and iCloud experience. First the app asks for access to a user's camera roll, and once the auto setting is turned on, will upload new photos as they are added.
Manual options include the backing of a user's entire entire camera roll, or just select photos from various albums. As with other cloud storage apps, as well as Apple's own Photos, Amazon Cloud Drive Photos supports sharing via Facebook, Twitter and email.
Another consideration is storage. Apple only allows 1,000 photos to be stored on its servers for up to 30 days, while Amazon affords 2,000 pictures with no time limit. The online retail giant also has extra storage options for shutterbugs, with three subscription tiers starting at 20GB for $10 per year, 50GB for $25, and 100GB for $50.
Amazon Cloud Drive Photos for iOS comes in at 11.2MB and can be downloaded for free from the App Store. Use of the app and its attached cloud storage assets require an Amazon.com account.
Comments
Thanks, but No Thanks.
Since there's no time limit, the article didn't address if the app was also on Android - since they make a skinned Android tab.
I'd expect so, so that people could simply maintain their accounts if they switched from an Android device to an iPhone (or vice-versa which likely does happen some).
Also not addressed was whether it was a "appears on all selected devices" system, so e.g., on a Mac, PC, iPad and Android device.
I understand the advantages of a unified ecosystem for Apple - especially for their less digitally competent customers - but too much lock-down isolating it from other device types makes me chafe and I think it's in their best long-term interest to allow wide-spread connectivity and sharing.
I believe Photostream works on PC's - ??? - but I'm doubting there's an Android client - or a WinPhone 8 one, etc. So if that's the case, lacking those cross-OS links from Apple itself, then a choice that already has them from a company I already do a lot of successful business with is kinda interesting to me.
Amazon competes with everyone on the planet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigpics
I understand the advantages of a unified ecosystem for Apple - especially for their less digitally competent customers - but too much lock-down isolating it from other device types makes me chafe and I think it's in their best long-term interest to allow wide-spread connectivity and sharing.
I agree - and it's going to bite them in the ass at some point if they don't eventually do that.
I think they are competing with me for my my wife too! They send her a box everyday it seems!
Look at it this way, every box means one less trip to a store for you, and she's saving you money.
Surprised it took this long to be on iOS it's been on Android for awhile, and before you say "of course it was on android first because they use a forked version of Android" the Amazon video app which is on iOS is not on Android.
Anyone betting that the online retailer will beat the OS companies?
It takes a year to do it poorly, yes. Eventually, Jeff Bezos will make Amazon-brand spaghetti.
The scary thing is: the box is empty!
Lol. Maybe she's buying Seattle air.
Apple's been selling proprietary solutions for nearly 40 years, but eventually--EVENTUALLY--someday, any day now, it's going to bite them in the ass. Apple must license Mac OS / iTunes / iOS / iCloud / (next big thing) to everyone else. Or face eventual doom.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ifij775
So, basically it takes a year for Amazon to copy Apple's features.
I hope they don't copy it TOO closely. There's something wrong with Apple's offering. My photos keep disappearing after a couple weeks...
Aren't Photostreams not counted toward your used space on iCloud?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
Apple's been selling proprietary solutions for nearly 40 years, but eventually--EVENTUALLY--someday, any day now, it's going to bite them in the ass. Apple must license Mac OS / iTunes / iOS / iCloud / (next big thing) to everyone else. Or face eventual doom.
Again, iTunes for Windows has only brought them more media sales - and more switchers. Safari for Win wasn't a bad experiment or idea either, at least in concept. Nor are Apple's many contributions to the Open Source community (primarily on the OS'd Unix kernel they use in OS X).
Licensing Mac OS on the other hand was an unmitigated disaster which Jobs (who green-lighted iTunes and Safari for Win) rectified.
So enough talking point repetition. Where every Apple innovation best fits into the computing world (for both Apple and its customers) is a case by case situation. OS X and iOS are certainly "no ways." And iCloud - again like previous web efforts has enough short-comings, I don't even care. But iTunes, FaceTime and iMessages are all good candidates for setting universal standards that will accrue long-term bennies to both Apple and us.
Meanwhile I use - and will continue to use - non-Apple solutions for my writing, eMail, calendar, pic management, cloud storage, and anywhere I see more lock-in than value add. Keynote is a gem though....
Or my all time favorite Perri-Air.