iCloud has become the most confusing service ever

[Merkie]

1. There's a seperate iCloud Drive app for OS X, Windows, and you can access iCloud Drive from the browser. However, there is no seperate app for iOS. You can transfer files pretty easily from Dropbox to iCloud Drive on pretty much every computer, however, you cannot do so with an iPhone. Hello 2014.

2. iCloud Photo Library. What is this exactly? Where can I view these files? How do I know what's saved locally and what's not? I don't understand it at all.

I'm a long time iPhone user and I usually know what Apple does and how their devices work pretty well, but everything Apple has done regarding the cloud with iOS 8 has only made things more confusing to me.

If only iCloud was as simple as Dropbox...

 

[reese2147]

100% agree, and the advertising for icloud drive on ios8 has been extremely misleading. I was really hoping this feature would pull me away from Microsoft OneDrive for my needs, but it just solidifies its place for me.

 

[Menel]

1. There's a seperate iCloud Drive app for OS X, Windows, and you can access iCloud Drive from the browser. However, there is no seperate app for iOS. You can transfer files pretty easily between iCloud Drive and Dropbox on pretty much every computer, however, you cannot do so with an iPhone. Hello 2014.

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/icloud-drive/
read

You can do this. I just transferred a file from iCloud to Dropbox, easy.

2. iCloud Photo Library. What is this exactly? Where can I view these files? How do I know what's saved locally and what's not? I don't understand it at all.

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/photos/
read

There is a Photos app... you can view them there.
In settings, photos and camera, if you set to download and keep originals, all photos are local.
If you set to Optimize, it does it's best to store online and not on your device.

Couldn't be easier...

If only iCloud was as simple as Dropbox...

[/QUOTE]it is...

 

[Belmont31R]

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/icloud-drive/
read

You can do this. I just transferred a file from iCloud to Dropbox, easy.

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/photos/
read

There is a Photos app... you can view them there.
In settings, photos and camera, if you set to download and keep originals, all photos are local.
If you set to Optimize, it does it's best to store online and not on your device.

Couldn't be easier...

it is...[/QUOTE]


On iOS, how do you create folders, and move items around?

 

[trebb]

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/icloud-drive/
read

You can do this. I just transferred a file from iCloud to Dropbox, easy.

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/photos/
read

There is a Photos app... you can view them there.
In settings, photos and camera, if you set to download and keep originals, all photos are local.
If you set to Optimize, it does it's best to store online and not on your device.

Couldn't be easier...

"It does its best to store online and not on your device."

Oh yeah, because that's what users want. I want to decide EXACTLY what's on my phone and what's in the cloud.

With the previous setup, that was super simple. I could see exactly what I had in the cloud. Now... not so much.

It's getting kind of tiresome to see so many people on this forum say, "It's simple. You just need to read." It's not simple. If it was as simple as some claim it is, then there wouldn't be 1,000 threads about it. iOS prides itself over Android on being "simple and intuitive." What happened to that?

 

[Menel]

Oh yeah, because that's what users want. I want to decide EXACTLY what's on my phone and what's in the cloud.

Apple has never been one to give exact control. They control it so you don't have to. That has almost always been their way.

With the previous setup, that was super simple. I could see exactly what I had in the cloud. Now... not so much.

Before, nothing in the Photos tab was in the Cloud. Things in Photostream were full size in cloud and on device.

Now. Everything in the Photos tab, is in the Cloud. boom. done. THAT easy. And you get the bonus choice of instead of having full photos in both places, you can let iOS selectively optimize it for you.

It's getting kind of tiresome to see so many people on this forum say, "It's simple. You just need to read." It's not simple. If it was as simple as some claim it is, then there wouldn't be 1,000 threads about it. iOS prides itself over Android on being "simple and intuitive." What happened to that?

because.. it's that easy.

 

[shenfrey]

Apple has never been one to give exact control. They control it so you don't have to. That has almost always been their way.

Before, nothing in the Photos tab was in the Cloud. Things in Photostream were full size in cloud and on device.

Now. Everything in the Photos tab, is in the Cloud. boom. done. THAT easy. And you get the bonus choice of instead of having full photos in both places, you can let iOS selectively optimize it for you.


because.. it's that easy.

You still haven't told us how we differentiate those that are on the cloud and those which are not.

 

[Aspasia]

Now. Everything in the Photos tab, is in the Cloud. boom. done. THAT easy. And you get the bonus choice of instead of having full photos in both places, you can let iOS selectively optimize it for you.


because.. it's that easy.

What happens if I need my photos and have no WiFi or cellular connection? Is there actually an option to NOT store photos in iCLoud?

 

[Menel]

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/icloud-drive/
read

You can do this. I just transferred a file from iCloud to Dropbox, easy.

http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/photos/
read

There is a Photos app... you can view them there.
In settings, photos and camera, if you set to download and keep originals, all photos are local.
If you set to Optimize, it does it's best to store online and not on your device.

Couldn't be easier...

it is...

What happens if I need my photos and have no WiFi or cellular connection? Is there actually an option to NOT store photos in iCLoud?

yes! read above

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Apple has never been one to give exact control. They control it so you don't have to. That has almost always been their way.

Before, nothing in the Photos tab was in the Cloud. Things in Photostream were full size in cloud and on device.

Now. Everything in the Photos tab, is in the Cloud. boom. done. THAT easy. And you get the bonus choice of instead of having full photos in both places, you can let iOS selectively optimize it for you.


because.. it's that easy.

You still haven't told us how we differentiate those that are on the cloud and those which are not.

I did.
They are ALL in the cloud. read above. or at apple.com. Somewhere, just read.

 

[shenfrey]

yes! read above

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I did.
They are ALL in the cloud. read above. or at apple.com. Somewhere, just read.

So they are both on the device and in the cloud? Every single photo we see in the app?

 

[Menel]

So they are both on the device and in the cloud? Every single photo we see in the app?

Yes. And should be mirroring across to your iPad like Photostream did. Works that way on mine.

And eventually whatever new Photos application they create for Yosemite.

 

[shenfrey]

iCloud has become the most confusing service ever

Yes. And should be mirroring across to your iPad like Photostream did. Works that way on mine.



And eventually whatever new Photos application they create for Yosemite.

So what happens if we delete any of these photos in the app? Are they still in the cloud? Do we still get to see them in the app while still adding new photos from the free space we now have?

 

[lusticke]

I was under the impression that iCloud in iOS 8 would be an app like Dropbox. This is not the case, is it? That was my excitement with switching to Yosemite because it will be all available easily. But this is not the case on iOS? You still have to open up the specific app to see what files you have that relate to that app only? Annoying!!

 

[Menel]

So what happens if we delete any of these photos in the app? Are they still in the cloud? Do we still get to see them in the app while still adding new photos from the free space we now have?

It deletes them (well it does move to a trash bin folder first in case of accident).

No, it deletes them, and tells you in the prompt which you should READ. Attached.

I don't understand the third question.

 

[Razeus]

So what happens if we delete any of these photos in the app? Are they still in the cloud? Do we still get to see them in the app while still adding new photos from the free space we now have?

Wow. People are making this harder than it needs to be.

If you have "My Photostream" turned on, you're photos are in the cloud AND local. If you delete a photo, it is removed from the cloud AND local. You don't need some icon to tell you if it's in the cloud or not. If you turned on the switch, it's obviously in the cloud.

If you DON'T have photostream turned on, it's local and only local.

It's not hard people. There is no Camera Roll Gate.

 

[trebb]

yes! read above

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I did.
They are ALL in the cloud. read above. or at apple.com. Somewhere, just read.

You are ridiculous.

I don't want ALL my photos in the cloud or ALL of my photos on the device. I want to be able to see exactly which are in the cloud, exactly which are on the device, and be able to differentiate between the two.

Saying that "Apple isn't one to give control" is absolutely and utterly absurd. If you can't see the stupidity in that statement, then I just give up. I don't want Apple deciding what to do with my photos.

 

[shenfrey]

iCloud has become the most confusing service ever

This is what confuses me though, what if the want to delete photos to save phone space BUT I STIll want that photo in the cloud?

 

[trebb]

This is what confuses me though, what I i want to delete photos to save phone space BUT I STIll want that photo in the cloud?

Exactly. This is what I want.

Wow. People are making this harder than it needs to be.

If you have "My Photostream" turned on, you're photos are in the cloud AND local. If you delete a photo, it is removed from the cloud AND local. You don't need some icon to tell you if it's in the cloud or not. If you turned on the switch, it's obviously in the cloud.

If you DON'T have photostream turned on, it's local and only local.

It's not hard people. There is no Camera Roll Gate.

You're describing the exact problem. I don't want the cloud and my device tied together 100%, and many other people seem to share that same sentiment.

 

[Padmini]

it is...

On iOS, how do you create folders, and move items around?[/QUOTE]

Why would you ever need to do that on iOS.

 

[Menel]

This is what confuses me though, what if the want to delete photos to save phone space BUT I STIll want that photo in the cloud?

Then set settings.app / photos to optimize for phone storage. full size stays in cloud, and it compresses local storage.

Then it fetches the fullsize if you want to edit or do other things with it, like accessing from apps. When you do this, you'll let a little progress pie chart showing it downloading the full res back from cloud.

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You are ridiculous.

I don't want ALL my photos in the cloud or ALL of my photos on the device. I want to be able to see exactly which are in the cloud, exactly which are on the device, and be able to differentiate between the two.

Saying that "Apple isn't one to give control" is absolutely and utterly absurd. If you can't see the stupidity in that statement, then I just give up. I don't want Apple deciding what to do with my photos.

Then you don't like the Apple system, it's not for you. Choose another. There are MANY.

Disable iCloud Library. Try Facebook, it allows you to individually upload photos into their cloud library, selectively, manually. They'll be happy to hold them for you. Google+ does as well.

 

[shenfrey]

iCloud has become the most confusing service ever

Then set settings.app / photos to optimize for phone storage. full size stays in cloud, and it compresses local storage.



Then it fetches the fullsize if you want to edit or do other things with it, like accessing from apps. When you do this, you'll let a little progress pie chart showing it downloading the full res back from cloud.

----------





Then you don't like the Apple system, it's not for you. Choose another. There are MANY.



Disable iCloud Library. Try Facebook, it allows you to individually upload photos into their cloud library, selectively, manually. They'll be happy to hold them for you. Google+ does as well.

I don't have this option in my photos settings. Iphone 5C, ios 8

Refer: Optimising

 

[Jimrod]

iOS prides itself over Android on being "simple and intuitive." What happened to that?

Sad to say it, and it's so completely overused, but still relevant - Steve Jobs died. Gradually since then Apple seems to be becoming more and more... Well... Microsoft. A bit of a headless chicken, or rather thousands of headless chickens looking for guidance but all doing their own thing. It's showing in their product designs and software more and more.

I'm not even saying that in a tongue-in-cheek way sadly. After the iPhone 6 I think I'll be moving over to Android or Windows phones, they have their issues too of course but they're a lot cheaper and a lot easier to use with regard to doing what you like and not being forced into things.

This latest iOS update just shows me Apple are going down a very fragmented and awkward route, not knowing their arse from their elbow it seems and the problems/excuses I've been reading about iCloud Drive, Photostreams etc being related Yosemite or whatever don't even make sense (I use a PC anyway). Someone was asking how to turn predictive text back on and got told to hold down the smiley face (how would you know that? Intuitive?), they even throw a U2 album on your iTunes which you didn't want and need a ****ing tool to remove! A tool??

But hey, we all asked for thinner iPhones and not more battery, some nice thick antenna bands will look really slick too! Jony was busy working on his chunky watch though... Not that I'd know any of that if I intended to get all my info from their keynote live stream...

Sorry, just disappointed with the last couple of weeks with Apple. They seem to be moving rapidly into mediocrity, again a little like Microsoft.

 

[Brian Y]

I just want to be able to browse iCloud drive from iWork on iOS. Such a silly decision to not allow this.

 

[Padmini]

This is what confuses me though, what if the want to delete photos to save phone space BUT I STIll want that photo in the cloud?

iCloud Photo Library Was Pulled At The Last Minute.

How many times does this need to be repeated before people stop making threads. Sticky this for crying out loud.

With iCloud Photo Library, you (would have had) the option to Optimize storage space on the device if you wish, instead of storing full quality photos locally.

But no, what you would NOT have, is the ability to delete a photo locally and keep it stored in the cloud. Not as part of the master library, anyway. Using shared albums, you could do this.

Furthermore, iCloud Photo Library, the way it is intended to work, is the exact opposite of "Let me delete this one photo off my phone, but it stays in the library in the cloud." I'm sorry if you feel like that is a good way of managing a Photo library, but I agree with Apple that it is unnecessary....and the breadth of their new solution (the one they PULLED for someone unknown reason) is how it should be.

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[trebb]

Then set settings.app / photos to optimize for phone storage. full size stays in cloud, and it compresses local storage.

Then it fetches the fullsize if you want to edit or do other things with it, like accessing from apps. When you do this, you'll let a little progress pie chart showing it downloading the full res back from cloud.

----------



Then you don't like the Apple system, it's not for you. Choose another. There are MANY.

Disable iCloud Library. Try Facebook, it allows you to individually upload photos into their cloud library, selectively, manually. They'll be happy to hold them for you. Google+ does as well.

Le sigh.

I have to use Apple products for work. I have no other choice. You keep trying to justify changing from a system that worked extremely well for many people, and you just aren't doing it. Now, because I don't like how they changed it, I have to switch platforms?

Do you not see the difference in having to post things to Facebook and having them upload into the cloud automatically? They are two very, very different things.

In the old way, I could take 10 photos at a concert and all of them would upload to Photostream. I would then 9 of the 10 from my phone, keeping the best one locally stored to save space. The other 9 would then be accessible via Photostream if I wanted to look at them. Why is this such a difficult concept for you to grasp?