On Friday Apple posted an announcement on their News and Announcements for Apple Developers RSS feed asking developers to get their apps ready for iCloud backup and restore. The announcement is yet another clue that Apple is getting closer to releasing iCloud and iOS 5 to the public.
Developer support for iCloud is very important to Apple, but with the plethora of other options like Dropbox or SugarSync and with extensive baked in app support for DropBox already in existence will Apple see user adoption of iCloud surpass that of Dropbox? Initially the first wave of iCloud users will be current Mobile Me users. I’ll be one of those, but I’m not all that excited about iCloud due to the fact that it won’t support all of Mobile Me’s sync features.
Additionally, I don’t think iClouds Music Match feature will be very exciting either. Initial reports say that it is slow to sync, cumbersome and doesn’t stream music. The latter might be a problem for a lot of people.
This is the first round of calls Apple will make to developers to get on the ball and support all the new features that iCloud and iOS 5 will offer. As we get closer to the release of iOS 5 expect another Apple developer call for apps compatible with iOS 5.
David W. Martin has more than 20 years of experience in the industry as a programmer, systems and business analyst, author, and consultant. David has written for CNET’s iPhoneatlas.com, MacLife.com, CultofMac.com, BYTE.com and recently for aNewDoman.net. He comes to Cult of Mac’s website with deep knowledge and passion for the all things Apple. Follow David on Twitter @david_w_martin or see what he’s up to now at davidwmartin.com.
20 responses to “Apple Asks Developers To Get Their Apps Ready For iCloud Backup And Restore”
I’ll use iCloud in the ‘first Wave’ although I’m not currently using MobileMe. In terms of putting data into the cloud, I trust Apple only, because the others have to earn money in some way, which can only mean selling data or user behaviour. Apple shouldn’t need to do this or is the least likely to do so
Question, and maybe this isn’t apt for the current topic: what happens to my apps that were banned by Apple but which I still have access to? Like a few of the more risque ones that got the axe when Apple became all puritanical (i.e. stuff with sexual over/undertones)? Will they be affected in any way?
Will I be able to store them on the cloud myself? Will I be able to sync to the cloud for the stuff that’s okay, yet still refer to the apps that are backed up on my Mac? I’m a little confused by all of this, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I think I would like to see what problems icloud presents. I may have to use it,but perhaps only short term
Could this mean that iOS will drop in a week or so? Like Apple’s call for Lion apps?
Your apps don’t get stored in iCloud, just the data. Any app that you previously purchased is redownloadable through the App Store so storing them in your iCloud storage would be redundant and wasteful. As for those banned apps that you speak of, those you’ll need to hang on to and sync in via iTunes.
Do we really need to note all these so called “clues” that iCloud is getting closer to release? Tell you what, here’s a clue that iCloud is getting closer to release… Some time has passed.
This is an announced product that we know is coming. We don’t need “clues” like with iDevice X.
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I just got a $829.99 iPad2 for only $103.37 and my mom got a $1499.99 HDTV for only $251.92, they are both coming with USPS tomorrow. I would be an idiot to ever pay full retail prices at places like Walmart or Bestbuy. I sold a 37″ HDTV to my boss for $600 that I only paid $78.24 for.
I use BIDFiRsT. COM
Sometimes I wonder whether there smart aleck bloggers are doing us a disservice by announcing that they are not in favor of this aspect or that aspect of the software developed by Apple, can’t they keep their opinions to themselves.
I’m just not sure we have the infrastructure to support cloud computing. It’s a great concept but getting any amount of data into the cloud take so long. I did some research and wrote a little post on it… http://www.theonlycog.com/post…
Seriously? Mentioning Dropbox in the same sentence as iCloud? They are nothing alike. People keep thinking “cloud” and assume it’s nothing more than a big disk-drive in the sky. This is not what iCloud is about at all.
Developers who don’t get it will be the ones who get left behind. Developers who understand the true benefits of iCloud are the ones who will develop Apps with features that make them much more desirable than those who don’t.
I don’t think this is true. Or at least we don’t really know yet if it is. Early word was that apps you purchased, even those that were subsequently banned, are still on your “purchased” list and downloadable to any device you own.