| Cult of Mac

Now you can upgrade your iCloud+ storage to a whopping 12TB

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iCloud+ Storage Capacity
You can store 6X as much with an iCloud+ subscription than was possible before.
Image: Apple

The maximum capacity of an Apple iCloud+ account just expanded from 2 terabytes to 12 terabytes. There’s also a new 6TB option. Either one is a heap of storage for Mac, iPad and iPhone user to hold images, videos and other files.

The storage plans also come with useful bonus features, many of which are focused on privacy.

Whose ‘Wonderlust’ predictions came true? [The CultCast]

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Wonderlust event hits and misses - The CultCast episode 612
What we got right -- and wrong -- about Apple's big "Wonderlust" event.
Image: Cult of Mac
Wonderlust 2023

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dissect all the biggest reveals from Apple’s “Wonderlust” event, which brought us new iPhones, Apple Watches and more. And we stare unafraid at the results of our Wonderlust predictions. We have a winner!

Also on The CultCast:

  • Yes, we got new iCloud+ storage plans. And Erfon’s still complaining?!?
  • The new iPhone colors are … 🤷
  • The iPhone’s USB-C enables some cool new stuff.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

iCloud+ storage capacities expand to 12TB

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iCloud+ Storage Capacity
You can store 6X as much with an iCloud+ subscription than was possible before.
Image: Apple

Apple added two tiers to iCloud+ online storage, allowing Mac and iPhone users to keep as much as 12 terabytes of data on the service. That’s six times as much as before.

The storage plans also come with additional features, many of which are focused on privacy.

Apple explains why it dropped controversial plan to scan iCloud Photos for CSAM

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Apple drops controversial plan to scan iCloud Photos for CSAM
An Apple executive went in depth on why images in iCloud Photos are not scanned for child sexual abuse material.
Image: Apple

Apple gave a more complete explanation of why it cancelled a plan to scan iCloud Photos libraries for child sexual abuse material. It’s the same reason it gave back in 2022, but with more detail.

It all comes down to user privacy, and the potential for the system to be abused by hackers and repressive governments.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs acknowledges MobileMe failure

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MobileMepic
MobileMe was the failed precursor to iCloud.
Photo: Apple

August 4: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs acknowledges MobileMe failure August 4, 2008: Steve Jobs owns up to mistakes in launching MobileMe, spinning Apple’s bungled cloud service rollout as a learning opportunity.

“It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store,” Jobs writes in an email to Apple employees. “We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence.”

New Apple Watch Ultra, 30-inch iMac make us salivate [The CultCast]

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Apple Watch Ultra rumors on The CultCast episode No. 601.
Rumors about a new Apple Watch Ultra leave us pleasantly surprised. And a 30-inch (minimum!) iMac sounds pretty sweet, too.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: While it’s no big shock that Apple continues to work on new Macs and iPads, two new products reportedly in the pipeline actually do sound surprising — and surprisingly tempting. What are they? An iMac with a big, beautiful 30-inch-plus screen, and a next-gen Apple Watch Ultra.

Where do we place our preorders?

Also on The CultCast:

  • A purported iPhone 15 Pro Max case leak makes us extra worried about that huger-than-huge camera bump. How much is too much?
  • Apple bumps up iCloud+ pricing in some places, but refuses to offer bigger storage options. Erfon is not amused.
  • The EU keeps writing new regulations designed to rein in tech companies. Ill-advised or efficacious?
  • Our giveaway this week is for anyone who craves a clutter-free desk.
  • And finally … a new edition of “What We’re Into.” Griffin talks up an impressive new car, while Erfon and I fixate on the same Apple TV+ sci-fi show.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Today in Apple history: MobileMe gets to R.I.P.

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MobileMe
So long, MobileMe.
Photo: Apple

July 1: Today in Apple history: Apple shuts down MobileMe web service, pushes iCloud July 1, 2012: Apple shuts down its MobileMe web service, pushing users to switch to iCloud.

Launched in 2008, Apple’s subscription-based suite of online services and software includes features like Find My iPhone, a MobileMe photo gallery, chat facilities, an online calendar, storage and other cloud-based services.

After letting it limp along for four years, Cupertino finally decides to pull the plug, giving MobileMe users until the end of July to remove their data from the service.

Apple websites start implementing passkeys in place of passwords

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Apple websites use passkeys in place of passwords.
That’s open less password you’ll have to remember.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Our password-free future just took a step closer. Apple has begin rolling out signing onto its online store can with a passkey instead of a password. The change allows shoppers to access the site with Face ID or Touch ID. The same is true for iCloud.com and Apple’s dev site.

However, the feature is still in testing so it’s not available for everyone. It requires a beta of iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS Sonoma.

WhatsApp may let you transfer chat history between iPhones sans iCloud

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp's 'Transfer Chats to iPhone' tool will bypass iCloud for chat migration.
Image: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is working on allowing you to transfer your chat history from one iPhone to another without iCloud. A local transfer tool will make WhatsApp chat migration faster and easier.

Currently, your WhatsApp history must be backed up to iCloud before it is transferrable to another device. This is a time-consuming process and also requires you to have enough free space in your iCloud account.

How to back up your iMessage history and save on storage space

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Back Up Just A Minute
Or, more accurately, back up your iMessage history.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can back up your text messages (and iMessages) with iMessage Exporter, a free tool for the Mac. Whether you want to preserve your family message history for sentimental reasons, or need to keep conversation records for business, iMessage Exporter will get the job done.

You might already back up your messages in iCloud, but Apple charges an arm and a leg for space. You can save space (and money) by making a local backup and clearing out your cloud storage.