Users must own an Apple device to set up iCloud for Windows. Synchronizing with a PC requires Windows 7 or later and using the iCloud Control Panel, and optionally Outlook 2007 or later or the built-in Windows 10 Mail and Calendar apps to sync Calendar, Contacts, and Reminders.

ĭevices running older versions of macOS (before Mavericks) or iOS (below 7) may be unable to sign into iCloud after the iCloud password has been changed: the only resolution for this issue is to upgrade the OS, which may be impossible on a device that does not meet the newer OS minimum requirements.

For example, using iCloud Photo Sharing requires OS X Mavericks v10.9 or above on a Mac. Also, certain features have their own minimum requirements of OS versions. ICloud account creation requires either an iOS device running iOS 5 or later or a Mac running OS X Lion v10.7.5 or later, as well as an internet connection and a compatible web browser.

In June 2021, Apple introduced iCloud+, which introduced Private Relay, Hide My Email and custom email domains to paid users of the services, as well as an unlimited storage limit for video from cameras added through HomeKit Secure Video. In October 2016, Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on project Pie which aims to improve the speed and experience of Apple's online services by being operated more directly by Apple. In 2016, Apple signed a deal with Google to use Google Cloud Platform for some iCloud services. īeginning in 2011, iCloud is based on Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure (Apple iOS Security white paper published in 2014, Apple acknowledged that encrypted iOS files are stored in Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure ). One of Apple's original iCloud data centers is located in Maiden, North Carolina, US. The company has six data centers in the United States, two in Denmark, and three in China. ICloud replaced Apple's MobileMe service, acting as a data syncing center for email, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, notes, reminders (to-do lists), iWork documents, photos, and other data.Īpple has eleven company-owned and -operated data centers supporting iCloud services. Service users are also able to share photos, music, and games instantly by linking accounts via AirDrop wireless. ICloud also provides the means to wirelessly back up iOS devices directly to iCloud, instead of being reliant on manual backups to a host Mac or Windows computer using iTunes. ICloud enables users to store data such as documents, photos, and music on remote servers for download to iOS, macOS or Windows devices, to share and send data to other users, and to manage their Apple devices if lost or stolen. As of 2018, the service had an estimated 850 million users, up from 782 million users in 2016. ICloud is a cloud-storage and cloud-computing service from Apple Inc.

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