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Comment by keyle | Hacker News Reader

I'm happy for apple, but I'm annoyed at 'service' growing.

The free plan offering hasn't increased as far as I know, and the devices require more and more icloud backup space, so why would you be surprised in an increase of 'service' revenues?

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The devices don't require any iCloud backup space. You are free to back up your device on your local machine.

Or if you want to live dangerously, you don't have to turn on iCloud backups at all.

In fact, you don't have to turn on iCloud, period.

For my purposes, I get by without a phone backup. I store most data on my NAS or in iCloud (supposed to be E2E encrypted), so when I do get a new iPhone or iPad ever few years, the only data I've lost is my system config. It's a little bit of a pain to reconfigure, sure, but local backups to iTunes are much more of a pain (and always seem to break for me).

I would love to use iCloud Backup, but my understanding is that as soon as you do, everything that was E2E encrypted (because you're using iCloud services) immediately becomes visible to Apple.

>but local backups to iTunes are much more of a pain (and always seem to break for me).

I recommend iMazing [0]. Very well executed local backups over WiFi.

[0].

Looks like you forgot to include the link to iMazing:

https://imazing.com/store

Thanks! This is helpful. Is iMazing smart enough to not back up data that’s already in iCloud? For example, I don’t want to have two copies of my entire Photo Library (my laptop originals and my iPhone backup) on my laptop.

I do this. Mostly because I just dump MP3s into my phone and don't use any of their online services except notes, contacts, and imessage.

They are blocking competition in backups and cloud storage using private apis that would bring the cost down.

They're blocking competition by allowing you to back up to your own computer?

The Files App on iOS can connect to any SMB share. Just make a shortcut that runs periodically: take everything in the "recent" folder, compress it, name it the current date, and copy it to a SMB share of your choice.

iCloud backs up when you plug in your phone at night without any configuration. Requirements to back up to your own computer include...

- Owning a computer

- Plugging your phone into your computer

- Having iTunes always running (if it's not a Mac)

Additionally, Apple provides a very convenient API where you can store files and have it show up on related devices after calling a sync function. Many apps which store user data use this, and it requires iCloud if you want to sync between Mac and iOS or iOS to iOS. It's a very common pattern, some popular apps that use it: GoodNotes, Studies, Notability, WhatsApp, Linea, and every Apple-made app.

Owning a computer

You mean I have to own a computer to back up my phone to a computer that I own? Scandalous! Next thing you know, you'll tell me that I have to own a phone in order to back up my phone.

Plugging your phone into your computer

If an iPhone is charging and on the same wifi network as the computer, it will automatically sync at night. There's a checkbox for it.

Having iTunes always running

Or you just fire up iTunes when you want to sync. Once a week, or month, or whatever works for your schedule.

> You mean I have to own a computer to back up my phone to a computer that I own?

Many people only own an iPhone and nothing else.

> If an iPhone is charging and on the same wifi network as the computer, it will automatically sync at night.

Even fewer people have a computer that stays on all night.

> Or you just fire up iTunes when you want to sync.

Sure, something you have to remember to do.

The main point though is that many apps that have sync capabilities require iCloud. iTunes backups do not work for sync.

Before iCloud, apps were doing this using Dropbox APis. It can be done without iCloud.

I pay for the 2TB tier, find it affordable as a business expense and that it definitely alleviates personal stress - one less thing to worry about. That they've positioned themselves with a storage offering at a time when people are taking larger photos and videos is clever by them, but I find it convenient enough to overlook. I might grumble if I was forever pushing up against the next tier, but 2TB has been fine.

Agreed. But I would like to see more features as of now iCloud requires some "grown up" cloud service for regular document sync. Would be great to migrate completely

What's with the downvotes? Even dyed-in-the-wool Apple fans like Gruber admit that the 5GB free tier iCloud storage is stingy at best. He's been saying so since 2012(!) and he's absolutely right.

2012:

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2012/09/24/icloud-storage-... "Now that iCloud is up and running and seemingly holding up under demand, Apple needs to start offering more than 5 GB of storage at the free level."

2016:

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2016/08/08/google-photos-s... "I realize Apple is building up its “services” as a profit center, but 5 GB just isn’t enough for the free tier."

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2016/09/27/icloud-photos-c... "Surely Apple will eventually increase the storage capacity of the free tier; the sooner they do so, and the larger they make it, the better."

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2016/09/27/trouton-icloud-... "Apple should give all iCloud users a lot more free storage"

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2016/12/15/speirs-icloud-s... "This 5 GB tier is just untenable."

2018:

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2018/01/25/stern-icloud-st... "5 GB seems ridiculous when the company is selling $999 iPhones with 64 GB of storage."

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2018/05/25/icloud-storage-... "My fingers are still crossed that they’ll increase the storage capacity of the free tier at WWDC, though."

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2018/08/01/iphone-x-snell "I think Apple’s (Cook’s?) interest in increasing revenue from Services is keeping them from doing what’s right — increasing the base iCloud storage from 5 GB to something more reasonable."

2019:

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2019/11/01/snell-services "That miserly 5 GB free tier is emitting an evermore pungent nickel-and-diming aroma."

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