iCloud Infrastructure Executive Departs Apple

[MacRumors]

Eric Billingsley, director of internet services operations at Apple, is leaving the company, reports CNBC.

Billingsley is responsible for running data center infrastructure and some internet services, including the operating infrastructure for iCloud services like iCloud Drive.

His current responsibilities are being handed over to senior engineering director Patrick Gates, who already oversees infrastructure for other services like Siri. Gates has been with Apple since 2005 and will shortly take over for Billingsley.

Prior to joining Apple in October of 2013, Billingsley served as a director of engineering at Google. Before that, he was a technical fellow at eBay. It's not clear where he will be going after leaving Apple.

According to CNBC, data infrastructure has been an issue at Apple and Gates has been "righting the ship." Apple has been shifting more services to Gates' group's infrastructure as Billingsley's relies on external cloud providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

His departure comes following a major AWS outage in February that impacted services like Apple Music and iTunes, and CBNC speculates that his exit could mean Apple plans to rely more on its own infrastructure rather than third-party cloud services.

Both Billingsley and Gates report to engineering vice president Patrice Gautier, who reports to iTunes chief Eddy Cue.

Article Link: iCloud Infrastructure Executive Departs Apple

 

[macs4nw]

"According to CNBC, data infrastructure has been an issue at Apple and Gates has been "righting the ship. Apple has been shifting more services to Gates' group's infrastructure....."

In light of the foregoing, Eric's leaving wouldn't have anything to do with the latest iCloud outages?

 

[Rogifan]

Please let this mean iCloud is moving out of Eddy’s org.

 

[mlody]

Hopefully now there is a hope that 5gb gets bumped up some more reasonable size like 50gb

 

[critter13]

Please let this mean iCloud is moving out of Eddy’s org.

aw you almost made it to the end of the article

 

[gmanist1000]

I just want iCloud Drive selective folder sync on Mac

 

[pat500000]

I seriously think apple need new generation of staff....the underdogs.

 

[deany]

I keep getting the 5GB near limit nag.
I delete iPhone cloud backup and start all over. This merry-go-round has been going on for 2+ years.
5GB free for a number of device is woefully small, its 2017 apple. Give us a break!

 

[UL2RA]

Please let this mean iCloud is moving out of Eddy’s org.

Literally the last sentence of the article ...

 

[Woyzeck]

I'm surprised that they even had an iCloud Infrastructure Executive.

 

[Cronowerx]

Maybe he left because iCloud still only gives you 5GB of free storage!

 

[Internet Enzyme]

Hopefully now there is a hope that 5gb gets bumped up some more reasonable size like 50gb

50gb is a bit unreasonable. I think 10 gb or maybe 15gb is fair.

 

[mlody]

50gb is a bit unreasonable. I think 10 gb or maybe 15gb is fair.

Google is offering unlimited storage for Pixel 2 users for like 2-3 years. Offering 50GB of free storage is nothing unreasonable, especially for people with multiple devices.

Or, Apple could have implemented a tier storage depending on how many devices are registered per one iCloud account.
Start out with 25GB and offer 10-25GB bump per additional device (depending on a device)

 

[now i see it]

I'd leave too. Why iCloud Drive is such a dismal mess is beyond me. Cmon! It's 2017!!!

 

[preetb]

Versus Google on the server side, Apple absolutely sucks. Just one example: Take Apple Mail. It's slow and sometimes mail simply gets stuck in the outbox and may never ever be able to be sent. Contrast with Gmail on iOS. You see your email instantly without fail.

Apple is really a client oriented company and its strengths show in the quality of its client hardware/software versus Google's client hardware/software.

 

[pat500000]

I'd leave too. Why iCloud Drive is such a dismal mess is beyond me. Cmon! It's 2017!!!

I'm curious. Could you elaborate more on this issue?
[doublepost=1507343043][/doublepost]

Google is offering unlimited storage for Pixel 2 users for like 2-3 years. Offering 50GB of free storage is nothing unreasonable, especially for people with multiple devices.

Or, Apple could have implemented a tier storage depending on how many devices are registered per one iCloud account.
Start out with 25GB and offer 10-25GB bump per additional device (depending on a device)

I was excited about unlimited storage it has for pixel 2 until i thought about how secured those file would be. I'm talking about privacy issue. They said they do stand by their privacy policy, but then again they would share those infos to people like law enforcement.

 

[jonnysods]

Whatever makes iCloud more reliable.

 

[Mr. Donahue]

I'm curious. Could you elaborate more on this issue?
[doublepost=1507343043][/doublepost]
I was excited about unlimited storage it has for pixel 2 until i thought about how secured those file would be. I'm talking about privacy issue. They said they do stand by their privacy policy, but then again they would share those infos to people like law enforcement.

I take it from your profile pic being the pink panther in a burglar disguise you don’t ever want law enforcement prying into your life. Lol.

I’m sure anyone who really wants to hack into whoever will do so.
I’m so tired of a lot of apples choices lately I’ve been seriously considering leaving Apple for android. The only thing keeping me around is the simple fact that I enjoy using iOS more even with all of its bugs and shortcomings lately.
But with phones like Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact that packs the same specs as it’s bigger version and Google Pixel 2 make it really tempting to me. I’ve gone as far as going to the store to check out the phones in person. Something I haven’t done in about 7 years.

 

[whitedragon101]

I'm curious. Could you elaborate more on this issue?
[doublepost=1507343043][/doublepost]
I was excited about unlimited storage it has for pixel 2 until i thought about how secured those file would be. I'm talking about privacy issue. They

I can elaborate on mine.

iCloud pricing is just perfect at £6.99 for 2TB but it really does seem to be a (slowly improving) shambles.

1 - I turn on desktop and documents sync in Sierra. Starts to sync then just stops after a few GB. Just gives up. Calls to tech support can’t get it going. Signing out instead of leaving the documents on the desktop copies them to a folder in my user drive. Crazy behaviour. Then backup sync still doesn’t work. Eventually tech support just stops getting back to me and a few weeks later a patch quietly fixes it.

2 - iCloud photos on my iPhone stop syncing. To fix it support try everything and it doesn’t work. They suggest I turn on optimise storage (which deletes most of my local photos) for it to start to sync again. Again buggy.

3 - I drag some files from an external drive into my iCloud Drive. It starts filling up my computer hd with the data. It actually requires 1 to 1 storage for everything uploaded via the Mac if you delete the local copy the remote disappears.

4 - I install iCloud Drive to my windows 10 pc and it just flat out doesn’t send or receive any files. Amazon drive and google drive are on there working just fine. Apple support have referred to engineers waiting to hear back.

So basically every part of iCloud has either not worked, been buggy or so restrictive that it’s unusable. It’s such a great idea but it needs 4 things :

1) just work
2) have a way of telling what is queued for uploading / downloading see the speed and current file and be able to pause and play the sync
3) be able to control what files are locally cached or the size of the local drive cache.
4) Allow both external drive and asynchronous uploads to the cloud drive. Meaning you can drag files onto it and upload them without having to keep a local copy.

 

[pat500000]

I can elaborate on mine.

iCloud pricing is just perfect at £6.99 for 2TB but it really does seem to be a (slowly improving) shambles.

1 - I turn on desktop and documents sync in Sierra. Starts to sync then just stops after a few GB. Just gives up. Calls to tech support can’t get it going. Signing out instead of leaving the documents on the desktop copies them to a folder in my user drive. Crazy behaviour. Then backup sync still doesn’t work. Eventually tech support just stops getting back to me and a few weeks later a patch quietly fixes it.

2 - iCloud photos on my iPhone stop syncing. To fix it support try everything and it doesn’t work. They suggest I turn on optimise storage (which deletes most of my local photos) for it to start to sync again. Again buggy.

3 - I drag some files from an external drive into my iCloud Drive. It starts filling up my computer hd with the data. It actually requires 1 to 1 storage for everything uploaded via the Mac if you delete the local copy the remote disappears.

4 - I install iCloud Drive to my windows 10 pc and it just flat out doesn’t send or receive any files. Amazon drive and google drive are on there working just fine. Apple support have referred to engineers waiting to hear back.

So basically every part of iCloud has either not worked, been buggy or so restrictive that it’s unusable. It’s such a great idea but it needs 4 things :

1) just work
2) have a way of telling what is queued for uploading / downloading see the speed and current file and be able to pause and play the sync
3) be able to control what files are locally cached or the size of the local drive cache.
4) Allow both external drive and asynchronous uploads to the cloud drive. Meaning you can drag files onto it and upload them without having to keep a local copy.

Thanks for sharing your views. That's insane based on what you said. That's a lot of hassles. At this point, what is your stand with ios/osx then?
[doublepost=1507346963][/doublepost]

I take it from your profile pic being the pink panther in a burglar disguise you don’t ever want law enforcement prying into your life. Lol.

I’m sure anyone who really wants to hack into whoever will do so.
I’m so tired of a lot of apples choices lately I’ve been seriously considering leaving Apple for android. The only thing keeping me around is the simple fact that I enjoy using iOS more even with all of its bugs and shortcomings lately.
But with phones like Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact that packs the same specs as it’s bigger version and Google Pixel 2 make it really tempting to me. I’ve gone as far as going to the store to check out the phones in person. Something I haven’t done in about 7 years.

Pixel 2 lured me to check it out. Lol yes, you're not the first to point out my avatar. Hahah

 

[pika2000]

I keep getting the 5GB near limit nagg.
I delete iPhone cloud backup and start all over. This merry-go-round has been going on for 2+ years.
5GB free for a number of device is woefully small, its 2017 apple. Give us a break!

You can buy an iPhone but 99c a month is too expensive for you? Give me a break.

 

[Abazigal]

Google is offering unlimited storage for Pixel 2 users for like 2-3 years. Offering 50GB of free storage is nothing unreasonable, especially for people with multiple devices.

Or, Apple could have implemented a tier storage depending on how many devices are registered per one iCloud account.
Start out with 25GB and offer 10-25GB bump per additional device (depending on a device)

Because google monetises the people who use their devices. Apple doesn’t, which is why it makes sense for people to pay for the extra storage which they would use.

 

[Solomani]

Please let this mean iCloud is moving out of Eddy’s org.

Give iCloud responsibilities to Jonny Ive. He'll make the Cloud thinner, I promise you.
[doublepost=1507353903][/doublepost]

Because google monetises the people who use their devices. Apple doesn’t, which is why it makes sense for people to pay for the extra storage which they would use.

While that's true, and I don't mind the idea of paying for additional Apple services, the free 5GB allocation is really measly. At the very least give them around 10GB, plus iCloud should allow us to selectively choose which images/movies to store in the Cloud.

For example, I have a 64GB iPhone. I already have most of it filled with around 30GB of photos/videos. Now if I had only the free 5GB account, I clearly cannot ever "back up" my photo/video files to iCloud. But if they follow my advice, give me 10GB and also allow me to select which photos/videos I can store into iCloud…… then it allows me to at least "back up" (store) 10GB of my most important photos/videos (the ones that are most important to me, I need a backup in case I ever lost my phone, etc)

 

[Avieshek]

Steve Jobs himself said, you either price the hardware high to sell your services or your services high to sell your hardware. Both is a disaster.
Now, the iPhone X's starting price of $999s is just in the US. An iPhone 8 costs $980s (India), with case, it's $1000s just for the iPhone 8 alone (it's not even the Plus model). Google too is pricing it's hardware a privilege but there you go.. Gmail, Snapseed, Photos etc aside Microsoft Office, it's an entire self-running system. iPhone has just become a base to use other's services including as simple as cloud storage.

I don't come to believe Apple is defeating itself for pricing things high or coming things late but because not yet realising the principles of Sir Steve Jobs to implement & continue them. This is, one of many things.

 

[pat500000]

Steve Jobs himself said, you either price the hardware high to sell your services or your services high to sell your hardware. Both is a disaster.
Now, the iPhone X's starting price of $999s is just in the US. An iPhone 8 costs $980s (India), with case, it's $1000s just for the iPhone 8 alone (it's not even the Plus model). Google too is pricing it's hardware a privilege but there you go.. Gmail, Snapseed, Photos etc aside Microsoft Office, it's an entire self-running sysytem. iPhone has just become a base to use other's services including as simple as cloud storage.

I don't come to believe Apple is defeating itself for pricing things high or coming things late but because not yet understanding to continue implementing the principles of Sir Steve Jobs. This is, one of many things.

Looks like the alternative is actually to buy previous generation models.