If you’re using any Apple devices or services, you’re for sure familiar with thecompany’s cloud service called iCloud. It’s a handy way to store your data and keep it around across all your phones and tablets, making it anessential tool in Apple’s ecosystem.
Apple introduced iCloud with its free 5GB of cloud storage in 2011. However, all these years later, nothing really changed with the free tier, and it’s still hanging around with the same 5GB data limitation. With file sizes increasing, and storage prices going down, why does Apple not go ahead and make the free iCloud tier more spacious? Here’s all we know.
Is your iCloud storage full? How to clear it and free up space
Getting the iCloud storage full warning? Here’s how to clear up some space on your apple device – and how to keep it clear.
Why do you need iCloud storage?
First, let’s see why iCloud is so important and why using it is crucial for a properly working Apple ecosystem. Essentially, it’s just a cloud storage solution, which means you’re able to upload your files into the cloud and access them from any device that’s connected to the network and your Apple ID.
That might not sound like a significant thing, but iCloud is the reason why your files can be available both on your phone and your Mac, and why you can safely store your email attachments online. It’s also a place where all the backups of your devices live, so it’s important to keep it at least partially free to be able to back up your phone and computer once in a while.
How to restore your iPhone from iCloud or a computer backup
Let’s say you reset your iPhone to factory settings, or maybe your iPhone has been acting all wonky - either way, there is one easy way to get it all back.
Why won’t Apple increase iCloud storage?
So, if iCloud is so important for the mystical Apple ecosystem to function well, why does Apple only give you a very limited amount of storage – 5GB – to use for free? Well, the answer is layered, but here are some of the most important reasons:
1. Maintaining cloud storage is expensive
First, you have to consider the cost of maintaining the whole cloud storage infrastructure. Even though storage prices per gigabyte have fallen significantly, that’s not the only cost associated with maintaining servers. You need to account for new server infrastructure, space for the servers, and even electricity, along with the ever-growing user base of iCloud itself.
Seeing as there are more and more iCloud users every year, Apple needs to dedicate more storage to iCloud anyway, so doubling or tripling that allowance would be a significant undertaking even for a tech giant such as Apple.
2. Apple wants you to buy its services
However, the costs are not the only reason why Apple doesn’t give you more cloud storage for free. The other reason, and one that’s probably much more important for the company, is quite straightforward as well: Apple wants to make money, and selling cloud storage is a great way of doing so.
Giving you barely enough storage for basic tasks, but still enough to see the benefits of this solution, is a brilliant marketing strategy. That way you see how well iCloud syncing works, and you want more- - and Apple is more than happy tosell you iCloud+with its different storage tiers.
So, the 5GB of free storage should rather be treated as a free trial that encourages you to buy some more from Apple and get attached to its monthly subscription for cloud storage. Of course, it’s a common practice and Apple is not alone in advertising its services this way, but you should always keep that at the back of your mind when considering getting more storage.
3. 5GB is enough for the most basic uses
Finally, Apple’s reasoning for offering only 5GB of free cloud storage is that it’s enough for most users. And while Google claims the same with its Google Drive, the free tier is much bigger there, as Google offers 15GB for free.
That being said, if you’re using iCloud just to store your emails, some backups and maybe a bunch of text files, 5GB will indeed serve you well for years to come. However, if you ever attempt to store your photos in the cloud, or back up any larger files, you’ll really quickly run into storage limitations, and you’ll probably need some other cloud storage solution to continue.
Which cloud storage service is right for you? iCloud vs Google Drive vs OneDrive vs Dropbox
To help you optimise your mix-and-match approach, or better understand the pros and cons of each service, Pocket-lint has answered all your questions.
Q: How can you store more data in the cloud?
So, seeing as the free iCloud tier is quite limited and not very likely to change for the better, what other options are there for you? Here are some of the best solutions if you’ve run out of storage in the cloud.
