Apple to Upgrade iCloud with Photo Sharing, Notes and Reminders on iCloud.com

[ipedro]

It's clear that Apple is rebuilding MobileMe before it expires in a few months. Apple could have launched iCloud with all the features of MobileMe, but look at what happened when they did that last time in the transition from .Mac to MobileMe.

I think that wiping the slate clean and making sure they make each feature great on its own, one at a time, is the best way to get iCloud to reach its potential.

We'll no doubt see iDisk or an equivalent replacement coming in to the iCloud family soon enough. Safari for Mountain Lion will sync tabs to iOS and the keychain is but a small step to syncing all of a user's Safari experience between their Macs and iOS devices.

 

[finalcut]

if only other icloud users can see my pictures and comment on them, it's a no go for me. I'd like something like mobile me where everyone could see my pictures presented there.

 

[nuckinfutz]

if only other icloud users can see my pictures and comment on them, it's a no go for me. I'd like something like mobile me where everyone could see my pictures presented there.

That would be Journals in iPhoto (currently iOS only)

 

[oliversl]

Maybe thats why Instagram was so expensive to Facebook, maybe Apple was the other bidder ...

 

[nutmac]

Currently, iCloud.com lets you share groups of calendar and reminder. Photo Sharing would be a great addition, but I would love sharing to extend to groups of contacts, notes, and documents (currently titled iWork).

Photo Sharing would be a great alternative to those that do not want to be on Facebook/Instagram bandwagon. I would love to create a couple of albums designated for sharing, one for just my immediate family and another for friends and more distant family.

 

[ChockFull]

I'll be even more thrilled if they add "Sharing" to Reminders! Wunderlist started well, but is not finishing well.

 

[Xtremehkr]

I don't know if it's already possible or not but Apple needs to steal a feature that Google introduced recently through it's google drive.

You can upload a large file to google drive and then email a link to others, allowing them to download only the files you've given them access to. It's incredibly useful for sharing large files, movies, albums, all without the need for a flash drive or external storage.

It makes the cloud incredibly useful but since I already have 25GBs of iCloud space I'm not going to pay for additional google drive space but it would make iCloud immeasurably more useful if I were able to use it in the same manner that I can use google drive.

 

[newagemac]

That would be great for updated features to PhotoStream.

And is it, or any iCloud feature a part of AppleTV? That would be grand to watch pictures or videos straight on it via the internet connection (though I guess there is airplay anyway).

I've wanted to show on a larger scale some photos I've taken and thought viewable on a monitor would be terrific.

Apple TV already supports Photostream as well as a couple more iCloud features like iTunes Match and a feature where you can play any TV Shows and Movies you've ever purchased from iTunes directly from the cloud on your Apple TV.

 

[Flitzy]

Hopefully it includes sharing to non-iCloud members too. They could have a killer app if they do so.

Limiting it only to iCloud members limits the potential.

Hopefully they'll do something similar with Documents too, now that iWork.com is closing.

 

[Snowshiro]

Add in "comments" and "likes" and an individual iCloud user wall and you have a watered-down version of Facebook (only it's run by Apple). I honestly wouldn't mind something like that.

Can't imagine anything more pointless. The whole power of facebook is linked to the fact that anyone can join it. Why would I bother with a watered down social network where 10% of my friends are members. If I wanted that I'd join Google+.

Photo sharing for members only is completely useless to me.

 

[atMac]

For me .Mac was amazing, MobileMe was great, but lacked server stability, and iCloud has been a total mess.

I signed up for .Mac for a few simple reasons:
iDisk
Keychain sync
Preferences Sync
Bookmark Sync

iCloud does 1 out of 4, not a good percentage for me, with email and bookmark syncing being free I'm thinking of dropping my subscription. Dropbox has replaced iDisk for me, and I have given up on hoping for Keychain/Preferences syncing to come back.

 

[iZac]

iDisk please, mobileme keeps warning me to empty mine!

 

[Sackvillenb]

These are nice updates. Photo management on iOS can and should be greatly improved. Hopefully this will help...

 

[SeaFox]

It's clear that Apple is rebuilding MobileMe before it expires in a few months. Apple could have launched iCloud with all the features of MobileMe, but look at what happened when they did that last time in the transition from .Mac to MobileMe.

I think that wiping the slate clean and making sure they make each feature great on its own, one at a time, is the best way to get iCloud to reach its potential.

More likely they're adding the features back one at a time to tide the negative feedback. Anything people don't complain loudly enough about will be left behind if Apple can help it.

 

[atMac]

iCloud is already getting a bad rep for what it lacks vs MobileMe. I really don't get what people complained about with MobileMe, aside from server outages it worked great for me. Before adding "new" things to iCloud I feel they should first put back, and get right, the services that people originally bought MobileMe for. I know that I have said this before but so far aside from email and bookmark sync, iCloud is not worth my money, add back keychain syncing and iDisk, then I will think about paying to keep it.

To me things like Photo Stream and such to me are completely useless. By loosing iDisk I am being forced into using Dropbox, and email and Bookmarks can easily be replaced with things like Xmarks and Gmail. Apple is not giving me any good motivations to use their service, and there is actually less motivation now then there was with .Mac and MobileMe for how I work.

I just want the basics done well, why can't I have that and not need to use separate accounts/companies? I feel like I used to have that and then it was taken away from me. I guess that is the origination of my frustration with iCloud.


While I don't use any of the first two, they are a great example of what I expect for an online "cloud" service, vs what Apple provides:

Microsoft: email, calendar, contact, SkyDrive, online office, messenger, bookmark syncing, folder syncing across machines for free, and they all work off of a single, free account.

Google: bookmark sync, rss aggregation, browser settings sync, contact, calendar, blog, online photo album, email, messenger, storage, documents, youtube, all off one free account.

Apple: email, bookmarks, contact, calendar, messenger, photo stream
(document storage left off since you can only save to it from paid, iOS apps)

 

[Stridder44]

Can't imagine anything more pointless. The whole power of facebook is linked to the fact that anyone can join it. Why would I bother with a watered down social network where 10% of my friends are members. If I wanted that I'd join Google+.

Photo sharing for members only is completely useless to me.

Pointless for you maybe, but useful for many others. In any case, no need to get all bitter about it.

 

[unplugme71]

This is one thing that has amazed me. Lack of photo sharing on a platform that touts sharing.

MobileMe Gallery offered a way to upload and share. Then they took it away.

I bet some form of iDisk will return as I need the ability to upload documents and share. Not just limit from specific apps like iWork.

 

[AustinIllini]

MobileMe Gallery offered a way to upload and share. Then they took it away.

I can't believe people defend MobileMe after all the garbage I have read on this forum about how terrible the service was.

 

[The Phazer]

I can't believe people defend MobileMe after all the garbage I have read on this forum about how terrible the service was.

It had terrible reliability, but was a much better and usefully designed service than iCloud is.

Meanwhile iCloud isn't very good at many things conceptually and... isn't very reliable either.

Phazer

 

[Frobozz]

Yes, but according to the article, you will be able to share only with other iCloud users. That won't cut it for me. I am looking around for other photo sharing services comparable to MobileMe, but so far I haven't found anything quite as nice. The biggest feature they all seem to lack is easy download of an entire album.

Agreed. I think that is a huge loss. The basic premise, for me, is that I want to be able to share photos with my family and friends via their email address as the white-list. I don't want them to have to sign up for Flickr or some other service just to view my restricted-access photos. So I'm left with posting only a few pictures, which sucks. But I post them to Facebook for all my relatives that are on it. But I have tons that aren't. For them, I have a job using IFTTT.com (If This Then That) that looks for posted pictures I place on Facebook, then emails a copy to a list of people.

 

[tucotuti]

Finally,

Now we need iDisk!

 

[nuckinfutz]

Now we need iDisk!

Dropbox.com

 

[browneb]

iCloud for Windows XP???

I know that this is probably not a popular topic, but due to my current circumstances the ONLY computer I have in my possession has a Windows XP OS on it (can't be upgraded either). It would be great to have iCloud control panel for Windows XP. I'm sure that I'm not the only person on the face of the Earth who needs it

 

[Carouser]

I'll be even more thrilled if they add "Sharing" to Reminders!

You can have a shared reminder list already. What am I missing with your complaint?

 

[ixodes]

Great news! New improvements to icloud are always welcomed

I most certainly agree.

Apple being an extremely secretive company, has a very poor track record when it comes to communicating with their customers. And I'm not talking about giving away secrets about upcoming products, which I agree they should not do.

But using iCloud as an example, they introduce it without much in the way of specifics, just the minimal amount of info.

Then they take away some of the features we were used to with MobileMe, again, not addressing if these would be added back once iCloud was fully developed, or if they would not.

So we are left wondering and hanging in the balance not knowing if we are better off to wait, being inconvenienced in the process, or go outside of Apple eco system and devise our own solutions.

Why they refuse to simply say "we are working on it" without having to disclose any details, is something that I find disturbing.

To the present, if they are going to truly make iCloud a leader in cloud services it needs to be very comprehensive, allow the user the control they are entitled to with their data, and get those features out asap.

Already late to the party, unfortunately Apple knows they can inconvenience their customers for as long as they want, keep them in the dark, and still collect billions of dollars.

Too bad Apple refuses to act like a company that appreciates it's customers and demonstrates that through more than lip service.

----------

I know that this is probably not a popular topic, but due to my current circumstances the ONLY computer I have in my possession has a Windows XP OS on it (can't be upgraded either). It would be great to have iCloud control panel for Windows XP. I'm sure that I'm not the only person on the face of the Earth who needs it

Even though my PC's are all on Windows 7, I agree with you completely.

This is another example of a lot of money being left on the table because of Apples arrogance. (it's not a mac, and it's not on latest windows os).

Fact: Many millions of PC's still run XP, and it serves them well.
Fact: They have Apple devices and would use iCloud
Fact: Being able to use iCloud on their PC would give them a better feeling about Apple and when they are ready, the probability of buying a Mac as their next computer would be very high.

Apple needs to work on it's social skills and get friendly. Doing so would fill their pockets with even more and more money.