AppleInsider Staff
Amazon on Friday released its Cloud Drive Photos app, and corresponding 5 gigabytes worth of free cloud storage, in what is essentially a competitor to Apple's own iCloud-based Photo Stream service.
Like Photo Stream, images are uploaded to Amazon's cloud through Amazon Cloud Drive Photos, which accesses an iOS device's camera roll, or via an OS X app that can be downloaded from Amazon's website. Photos can then be viewed on the iOS and OS X apps, or on a web client.
As Amazon does not have access to high-level iOS device functions, operation is not as seamless as Apple's implementation, but the app brings an automated mode that comes close to replicating the Photos, iPhoto and iCloud experience. First the app asks for access to a user's camera roll, and once the auto setting is turned on, will upload new photos as they are added.
Manual options include the backing of a user's entire entire camera roll, or just select photos from various albums. As with other cloud storage apps, as well as Apple's own Photos, Amazon Cloud Drive Photos supports sharing via Facebook, Twitter and email.
Another consideration is storage. Apple only allows 1,000 photos to be stored on its servers for up to 30 days, while Amazon affords 2,000 pictures with no time limit. The online retail giant also has extra storage options for shutterbugs, with three subscription tiers starting at 20GB for $10 per year, 50GB for $25, and 100GB for $50.
Amazon Cloud Drive Photos for iOS comes in at 11.2MB and can be downloaded for free from the App Store. Use of the app and its attached cloud storage assets require an Amazon.com account.
Wesley Hilliard
Christine McKee
Marko Zivkovic
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Andrew O'Hara
54 Comments
Thanks, but No Thanks.
Since there's no time limit, the article didn't address if the app was also on Android - since they make a skinned Android tab.
I'd expect so, so that people could simply maintain their accounts if they switched from an Android device to an iPhone (or vice-versa which likely does happen some).
Also not addressed was whether it was a "appears on all selected devices" system, so e.g., on a Mac, PC, iPad and Android device.
I understand the advantages of a unified ecosystem for Apple - especially for their less digitally competent customers - but too much lock-down isolating it from other device types makes me chafe and I think it's in their best long-term interest to allow wide-spread connectivity and sharing.
I believe Photostream works on PC's - ??? - but I'm doubting there's an Android client - or a WinPhone 8 one, etc. So if that's the case, lacking those cross-OS links from Apple itself, then a choice that already has them from a company I already do a lot of successful business with is kinda interesting to me.
If it allows me to actually view my pictures in a browser then this would be great.
Amazon competes with everyone on the planet.
I understand the advantages of a unified ecosystem for Apple - especially for their less digitally competent customers - but too much lock-down isolating it from other device types makes me chafe and I think it's in their best long-term interest to allow wide-spread connectivity and sharing.
I agree - and it's going to bite them in the ass at some point if they don't eventually do that.