Sources: Apple utilizing 'iCloud' internally, service to be more than music

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 74
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    I think that the media's emphasis on the iTunes part of the future cloud services is leading everyone astray. Given that Apple hasn't actually announced anything, the assumption that what they will announce all has to do with iTunes and cloud-based music and video storage might turn out to be quite wrong.



    It seems far more likely to me, (and far more doable), to have the cloud component work as a slightly enhanced version of the way iDisk works now (i.e. - a simple integrated storage solution for mobile devices). It also seems way more likely to me that the cloud services would allow for removing the tether between the iOS device you own and your computer by allowing you to download and install updates from the cloud and register to the cloud etc.



    How many more iOS devices would sell if they could remove the requirement for someone to already have a computer before you buy one? It seems like that might be an enormous number.



    I think the current idea that the cloud is just going to be a big storage area for your desktop computer or your entire iTunes media library, (with presumably a scale of "storage plans" depending on how much stuff you have), is both shortsighted and "old-fashioned" thinking.



    Exactly! The idea that the new cloud service will be about the storage of huge amounts of data such as music is silly. It is sure to be about extending the functionality and experience of iDisk, specially in conjunction with iDevices.
  • Reply 22 of 74
    Tired of speculation. I can't wait until Apple reveals the whole plan.
  • Reply 23 of 74
    Any improvement over MobileMe is welcome, but to really knock this out of the park it needs to be the official dropBox for iDevices and as others have hoped, a way to cut the tether.



    There should be a file pool locally stored on the device but always synced to other computers/devices on same account (like DropBox). This would make things so much easier for serious work on an iPad. Use a sweet iPad app to create an art or music asset, sit down at your computer and find it right in the iCloud folder automatically to work with further. Plus, view/play it as music on your wife's phone. No file management actions required.



    To make this the de-facto standard, however, a moderate amount of cloud space needs to be available to EVERY iDevice/Mac user for absolutely free. The key to paying for all that free service is the music licensing. Anything bought through iTunes doesn't take up your cloud space as it streams from one shared file. This gives an extra incentive to BUY music from iTunes/Apple. Extra revenue, right there. I know I'd stop checking for better prices at the Amazon music store myself if this was the case.



    The numbers may not add up, but there is the potential for tremendous added value to all Apple products if they can offer this as a starting point for every Apple hardware purchaser without extra cost. Of course, upgrades to storage can cost per year. Seems to be doing well for the DropBox people. I wonder what the $100 a year for Mobile Me would get me in iCloud space?
  • Reply 24 of 74
    macapfelmacapfel Posts: 575member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by [Greg] View Post


    With a robust enough cloud (as evidenced by the MASSIVE data center), it could be done!



    I'm not so sure, it's that massive. I think Google operates around 30 of these.
  • Reply 25 of 74
    jpcgjpcg Posts: 114member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by donlphi View Post


    In all fairness, I've been doing things in "THE CLOUD" for a long time. I've been sharing documents and syncing folders with different servers that could be accessed publicly or with password. I have been using Mac.com/MobileMe since the beginning of time, but honestly I don't find it to be that great. It's not user friendly.



    It has glitchy syncing (duplicating calendar dates and contacts, placing contacts into strange categories).



    Many of us have been paying $99 a year for nearly 10 years now. You would think it would finally be great. I've only been holding on to it because I want to keep my email address. It's like buying season tickets to the Cubs. You know they are going to lose, but you don't want to lose the good seats the year they finally make it to a World Series.



    I don't say this because I hate MobileMe, as it has gotten me out of a few document sharing binds, but the overall service is not worth $99 per year.



    I hope you are right and Steve and the rest of the Apple gang show us the way to the true cloud, but so far it has been a bust (IMO).



    I have bought MobileMe last year because i got myself an iPhone and I had the feeling that I would someday need the "Find my iPhone" feature. Now that this incentive is gone I will probably end my subscription in autumn this year. I have never used my email address because I didn't want to get locked into MobileMe.



    Contact/Cal syncing is nice, but not that nice to justify ?99. At the beginning I was really exited about iDisk but it is pretty much useless because it is so slow and you cannot share folders with people like on Dropbox. Even if they had this feature, i don't know anybody else that has MobileMe. Didn't think this feature of Dropbox would be so important to me but it is....



    Hopefully this cloud locker will have some nice performance and a free 1 or 2 GB option.
  • Reply 26 of 74
    Followed by the lawsuits.
  • Reply 27 of 74
    imoanimoan Posts: 56member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post


    Tired of speculation. I can't wait until Apple reveals the whole plan.



    Me too. But it is pretty cool that Apple is ramping up for something that Apple Insider has not completely figured out months before launch. Nice to have some surprises when they announce something new.
  • Reply 28 of 74
    joelsaltjoelsalt Posts: 827member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iMoan View Post


    Me too. But it is pretty cool that Apple is ramping up for something that Apple Insider has not completely figured out months before launch. Nice to have some surprises when they announce something new.



    Just like the old days!
  • Reply 29 of 74
    kerrybkerryb Posts: 270member
    Whatever iCloud is all about I just hope it is seamlessly integrated with Mac OS and iOS. The idea of waiting for documents to load from a cloud (every time) doesn't sit well with me. I know that will be an option like we already have with iDisk, how off location our files and data will be in the future remains to be seen.



    Side note, never liked mobileme as a moniker or .me as an address. iCloud is distinctly and Apple product name without being too obvious.



    PS a lot of good thought out comments here, this is a smart sandbox.
  • Reply 30 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by donlphi View Post


    In all fairness, I've been doing things in "THE CLOUD" for a long time. I've been sharing documents and syncing folders with different servers that could be accessed publicly or with password. I have been using Mac.com/MobileMe since the beginning of time, but honestly I don't find it to be that great. It's not user friendly.



    It has glitchy syncing (duplicating calendar dates and contacts, placing contacts into strange categories).



    Many of us have been paying $99 a year for nearly 10 years now. You would think it would finally be great. I've only been holding on to it because I want to keep my email address. It's like buying season tickets to the Cubs. You know they are going to lose, but you don't want to lose the good seats the year they finally make it to a World Series.



    I don't say this because I hate MobileMe, as it has gotten me out of a few document sharing binds, but the overall service is not worth $99 per year.



    I hope you are right and Steve and the rest of the Apple gang show us the way to the true cloud, but so far it has been a bust (IMO).



    Actually, I agree with you on that one. MM has been an utter bust for me too. (Inertia, more than anything else, has kept me there for years). I am surprised that the team in charge of that has actually survived at Apple.



    But I think Apple is taking its time on this one, and one hopes that it is a radically different product/service. One also hopes that the MM folks had nothing whatsoever to do with iCloud.
  • Reply 31 of 74
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    Given I use 1 or 2 TB drives now as my basic drive size needs for what I do I'd say your cost estimate would scare the pants of me Until Flash Memory is down to a tenth of that (and even then) this looks an interesting addition service to me.



    Consider this AT&T charges you between 20&25 dollars fo 2GB of data transfer. If your music and video is online that 2GB could be gone in a couple of weeks. Massive local storage is the best option for the consummer. Especially in the context of mobile devices kept far from WiFi connections.

    Quote:



    Agreed! I have been saying from iPad launch that the day may well come that a cloud service will replace the need for a mother ship locally. I can see Apple providing a special cloud based log in area that can actively perform services remotely just as the Mac does now for an iOS device. Not just be a passive storage system. New purchases (at an airport for example) would be able to get up and running simply by logging to an automated 'virtual dock'. This could go even further and even allow a remote boot for Lion based Macs if required.



    I'm not sure there is a bug advantage here. Apple could configure iPad to boot up, at purchase, tomorrow If they really wanted too. They don't so must have their own reasons. Don't get me wrong I'd rather that Apple get away from the current initialization requirement, but I don't see it having anything to do with the cloud.

    Quote:

    As I said earlier ... What ever Apple do with this, all the others; Google, RIM, Microsoft, H.P. et al, will suddenly have an epiphany and realize that was just what they were about to do too ...



    Nope I think some of those outfits are about to punt.



    In any event I'm still convinced that the need for local storage has nothing to do with the cloud. I really don't think Apple will saddle it's users with devices that are totally dependent on the cloud. The economics is just heavily in favor of big corporations and very bad for consumers. If people grasp what is going on they will likely revolt as the cloud is a way to drastically increase income from high data rates.



    In the end I think one has to be very gullible to believe that mobile devices and the cloud will work well and in an economical sense. Especially in the context of streaming music & media.
  • Reply 32 of 74
    Here's my guess:



    iCloud will either store, or be the conduit for, all of your Mac and iDevice content, programs, apps, data, music, etc. This will make everything available to you everywhere, and when you tap into iCloud from any Apple branded device, iCloud will automatically format your content for whichever device you are currently using: iMac, iPod, iPod Touch, iPad, iNewDevices. iPods with wifi will only access your music collection, whereas your more capable iDevice will be able to access all of your data, which will be formatted for that iDevice.



    New iDevices and Macs will have NFC chips which will interact with each other so they will know when you arrive home and which device you are switching to, automatically transferring control or whatever song you are listening to or app that you are using to the Apple device in front of you. This will open up opportunities for many more iDevices for your home, work and play. Like iFridge, walk buy and your refrigerator notifies you that you need to buy milk, iLight that turns on the lights when you walk into the room, your AppleTV automatically turns on when you walk into your living room, your house goes into powersaving mode when you leave it.



    Or not. But we'll probabaly find out more at the WWDC keynote....
  • Reply 33 of 74
    hittrj01hittrj01 Posts: 753member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iMoan View Post


    Me too. But it is pretty cool that Apple is ramping up for something that Apple Insider has not completely figured out months before launch. Nice to have some surprises when they announce something new.



    I agree, this is exciting. I think the whole Gizmodo iPhone 4 thing last year really made Apple take a good hard look at some of their leaky faucets and made them nice and tight again.
  • Reply 34 of 74
    gustavgustav Posts: 827member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post


    Tired of speculation. I can't wait until Apple reveals the whole plan.



    There will never be a whole plan. This will be an evolving set of services based on the market and what will help Apple sell more products at the time. This year, it may be a media locker, next year, something else.
  • Reply 35 of 74
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Solar Saves View Post


    New iDevices and Macs will have NFC chips which will interact with each other so they will know when you arrive home and which device you are switching to, automatically transferring control or whatever song you are listening to or app that you are using to the Apple device in front of you.



    This is what I?ve been wanting, too.



    For having such a large and connected ecosystem it?s too riga morale to switch from my iPhone, iPad and Mac for certain tasks. For example, when my iPhone is on my home network or in the general vicinity and/or I?m using my Mac I want the Push email to disable so it doesn?t vibrate every time I get an email. I also want this for many apps that use the push notification service that also have desktop or iPad counterparts.



    Now that we have the Mac App Store a few APIs could result in some very clever and brilliant ways of solidifying Apple?s ecosystem even further.
  • Reply 36 of 74
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jpcg View Post


    I have bought MobileMe last year because i got myself an iPhone and I had the feeling that I would someday need the "Find my iPhone" feature. Now that this incentive is gone I will probably end my subscription in autumn this year. I have never used my email address because I didn't want to get locked into MobileMe.



    Actually my .me mail address has become very useful to me. First it is spam and crap ware free. Plus no adds or other marketing crapola to bust the mail box.

    Quote:



    Contact/Cal syncing is nice, but not that nice to justify ?99.



    No syncing by itself isn't worth the $99 bucks. You can't however look at mobile Me like that. The value comes from the total of the services offered. Now we can argue about price but I find that overall it is worth some money very year.

    Quote:

    At the beginning I was really exited about iDisk but it is pretty much useless because it is so slow and you cannot share folders with people like on Dropbox. Even if they had this feature, i don't know anybody else that has MobileMe. Didn't think this feature of Dropbox would be so important to me but it is....



    Why do you feel that you need to have just one service. For example I've intalled dropbox and Evernote on my iOS devices and I still use .me.

    Quote:

    Hopefully this cloud locker will have some nice performance and a free 1 or 2 GB option.



    When dealing with the cloud performance wil never be nice all the time. That is the nature of networking. As to a 2GB option that is pretty much useless these days.
  • Reply 37 of 74
    hittrj01hittrj01 Posts: 753member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gustav View Post


    There will never be a whole plan. This will be an evolving set of services based on the market and what will help Apple sell more products at the time. This year, it may be a media locker, next year, something else.



    True, there is never going to be a final plan. Things always change. But it seems to be shaping up that Apple has a clear, concise plan in place for the next 5-10 years of both of their platforms. Heck, that plan may even include those 2 platforms becoming one, and maybe Lion and iOS 5 are the beginning of that process, who knows? I think it's awesome that they are also developing a back end system that will work cross-platform between my Mac, my phone, and my iPad (and as others have said, MobileMe is not it, at least right now). I have a feeling Apple has a lot more up their sleeve than anybody in the entire industry can even begin to fathom, and it's going to be a really exciting next couple of years.
  • Reply 38 of 74
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hittrj01 View Post


    I agree, this is exciting. I think the whole Gizmodo iPhone 4 thing last year really made Apple take a good hard look at some of their leaky faucets and made them nice and tight again.



    There were some leaks they found and plugged. The Apple employee who took a $100k in bribes (or something) comes to mind.



    This data center is a bit different since it?s much more compartmentalized than shipping plans to 3rd-parties over seas, and can be tested with current HW locally or remotely.



    I just hope they have learned from the MobileMe free-for-all launch fiasco.
  • Reply 39 of 74
    hittrj01hittrj01 Posts: 753member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    There were some leaks they found and plugged. The Apple employee who took a $100k in bribes (or something) comes to mind.



    This data center is a bit different since it?s much more compartmentalized than shipping plans to 3rd-parties over seas, and can be tested with current HW locally or remotely.



    I just hope they have learned from the MobileMe free-for-all launch fiasco.



    I think they have. Obviously it's not on the same scale, but they have been doing pretty well staggering iOS software updates from iPhone/iPod/iPad hardware launches. Also, when they rolled out new versions of Mail and Calendar for MobileMe, they staggered those updates between their user base as well. Hopefully history doesn't repeat itself, but that's one thing I've come to learn about Apple. If they make a mistake, they certainly learn from it, and almost never make that same mistake again.
  • Reply 40 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    Well they have been very careful on iOS devices not to include a file browser, and to have each app manage it's own documents. Perhaps this approach foreshadows their intent to move documents to the cloud (if not apps themselves).



    Yeah, I don't think I'm smart enough to see exactly how it's going to work, (and Gruber made an excellent argument recently about how difficult it would be to just "cut the cord" between iOS devices and the host PC anytime real soon), but it has to happen at some point.



    Right now I do a lot of writing on the iPad and once you've used Pages feature to "save to iDisk" it's so obvious that this is the way it will be for everything at some point. Pages UI and especially it's document handling is pretty primitive at best, but keeping your docs in the cloud is still miles better already than managing the documents through iTunes.



    I don't think I've added documents to Pages through iTunes ever since the first time I loaded them last year.
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