Apple added a few new features to Photos beta in a recent update to its iCloud.com hub, bringing manual image zoom controls and email sharing capabilities to the iOS-connected Web app.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published an Apple patent application for an iCloud-based fingerprint storage and cross-device syncing solution, a system that could do away with manual Touch ID setup and power next-generation Apple Pay-enabled POS terminals.
Without explanation, the beta iCloud.com Photos application is no longer available to access via the website, as a vague "early 2015" launch date for a new Photos for OS X app also looms.
Since its debut, iCloud has gone from a barebones syncing and backup service to a more full-featured, cross-platform cloud storage solution. Here's a rundown of how to use and get the most out of the modern iCloud Drive on iOS, OS X and the Web.
Prior to iOS 8, Apple required iTunes customers to purchase content on a per-account basis, but a new Family Sharing feature lets users living in the same household share apps, music, iBooks and more.
Apple understands that device backups are only useful when the process is automatic and done regularly, which is why the feature is baked into iOS and handled by iCloud.
Ever since Apple transitioned from its legacy MobileMe service to iCloud, it has sought to add more cloud features to match those of Google and Dropbox. With iOS 8 and Yosemite Apple has also opened iCloud Drive for file storage and Family Sharing of purchases, but managing your iCloud account can be challenging and confusing, especially when it comes to security.
Apple's work-in-progress iCloud Photo Library still hasn't fully realized the original concept, code-named "Hyperion," that was pushed years ago by late company co-founder Steve Jobs, according to a new report.
After spending a few weeks in developer-only beta testing, the new iCloud.com photo uploading feature is now available on the Web to all Apple users with iCloud accounts.
Apple's Web-based iWork suite was updated Friday with new languages for Pages, Numbers and Keynote, expanding international support for the beta iCloud productivity apps.
As part of Apple's continued effort to roll out next-generation cloud services, the company on Thursday updated the iCloud.com beta website with support for browser-based image uploads to iCloud Photos.
Following the discovery that Apple is hiring in the Seattle area, the company on Monday confirmed that it will be opening an engineering office in the state, with reports pointing to the acquisition of local cloud computing startup Union Bay Networks.
Tim Cook's tour of China continues with another interview with local media, this time with the Apple CEO telling users in the country that he had "very open" discussions on privacy and security with the Chinese government, following a series of attacks in the country targeting Apple users.
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has reportedly traveled to Beijing to meet with the vice premier of China to discuss protecting user data, a meeting prompted by recent hacks targeting iCloud users in the country.
Hackers have reportedly begun targeting iCloud users in mainland China, utilizing a so-called "man-in-the-middle" approach in an attempt to steal user information, with one group accusing the Chinese government itself of perpetrating the attack.
Apple on Saturday launched a beta version of iCloud Photos for iCloud.com users, activating the photo and video storage and syncing service planned to officially roll out on Monday with the debut of iOS 8.1.
The launch of OS X Yosemite has brought online Apple's new iCloud Drive, which not only automatically syncs data from Mac and iOS applications, but also for the first time allows Mac users to upload and organize any file types on their own.
Apple on Wednesday sent out emails reminding iCloud users that a new security protocol requiring app-specific passwords for third-party software is scheduled to go live tomorrow.
Adding to its collection of Web-based security tools, Apple on Wednesday published a webpage that allows users to check a device's Activation Lock status, ensuring safe and smooth transfer of ownership for used iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models.
In an update to Apple's online systems status webpage, the company announced ongoing outages of all iCloud services, including account sign-ins, mail, storage and more.
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AppleInsider Staff
Mikey Campbell
Katie Marsal
Stephen Robles
Sam Oliver
Neil Hughes
