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iCloud Free Trial, $25 Per Year, and Ads?

Thursday June 2, 2011 1:20 pm PDT by Arnold Kim
Rumors are flowing fast in the days before WWDC. LATimes reveals some additional details about Apple's iCloud service.

The iCloud service will function as many have expected. Offering iTunes users the ability to save their purchases to iCloud and then being able to listen to it from any web browser or Apple device. Apple will be offering a free trial for those who buy music from iTunes and later expects to charge "about" $25/year for the service.

The LATimes also adds without detail that "Apple would also sell advertising around its iCloud service." It's not clear in what form this advertising would be, and whether it would be present for only free or also paid customers.

Finally, Apple expects to extend the iCloud concept to movies, TV shows and other digital content. Apple will be announcing iCloud at next week's WWDC.
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Sky Blue
13 months ago
I'd rather store things locally, not have to worry about buffering and save $25 a year.
Rating: 33 Positives / 10 Negatives
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ugahairydawgs
13 months ago
So this is basically just an online locker for iTunes store purchases?

If true that is pretty disappointing.
Rating: 26 Positives / 11 Negatives
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Full of Win
13 months ago

*shrug* suit yourself. Seems a bit Amish but to each his own.


That dude is so stupid, he went out and purchased music in high quality, DRM free, and in a format with the option to make multiple digital formats. Not only that, the physical CDs are an asset that has value and can easily resold later. Oh, and adding to his foolisness, the pressed CD's purchased will survive for decades. Let us all point and laugh at this moron.
Rating: 10 Positives / 2 Negatives
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PCClone
13 months ago
Here is a crazy idea..quit your bitching and see what Apple delivers on Monday. Geez, some people get their panties in a wad based on rumor sites.
Rating: 10 Positives / 2 Negatives
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neiltc13
13 months ago
So not really a good competitor to Spotify then.
Rating: 12 Positives / 4 Negatives
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Mad Man
13 months ago

And again, people got nuts about less than 7cents a day without even knowing what is offered for that price ....


Too many people think they are entitled to get everything they want for free ... and even if they get something for free they keep complaining because it could be better.
Rating: 9 Positives / 3 Negatives
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Slurpy2k8
13 months ago
I love how all you clowns have already concluded and wrapped up the uselessness of iCloud, knocking it using colorful and disparaging language, stating what an utter failure it is (and Apple, of course) and how they would not in a million years use it, based on..absolutely nothing. We do not officially know a single feature of this product.

You people will never grow up. Thank God Apple ignores the opinions of people like you, it's why they have become so successful. Such extreme hatred before a service is even revealed. Pretty much consistent with every single Apple reveal and new product. Pathetic.
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
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aprilfools
13 months ago

I'm curious to know how many people still purchase CDs. I haven't in at least 5 years.


i still purchase cd's

#1 I'm an old guy and like to touch physical media such as a cd or vinyl record.
#2 digital download files feel much more disposable like most current music offerings which seem to be flavor of the day.

I don't expect the youth of today to understand this. very sad indeed.
long live vinyl and cd's. digital downloads bad!!!!!

BTW, The only reason CDs haven’t gone the way of the floppy disk is because the record labels still make the most profit selling CD's. As for the public demanding CD's, the public never would have given up floppies if Steve Jobs didn’t kill them.
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
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robEstyles
13 months ago

There's no way that the labels would agree to let Apple host all of the music files that you have because there's no guarantee that you actually purchased those files or legitimately ripped them from a CD. This isn't surprising at all.

Everyone should be taking all of this with a grain of salt and waiting for Monday.


Which is why Google and Amazon had the right idea in not even asking them. Apple had to ask them because my guess is your not actually uploading any of your music. iCloud is just streaming a song from its service if its flagged that you bought it. Which is why they needed a licensing agreement.

I don't see this working unless your entire library can be used for it. Can you imagine only being able to put songs you downloaded from iTunes on your iPod?
Rating: 9 Positives / 4 Negatives
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Nomadski
13 months ago
Considering ive got exactly zero songs purchased thru iTunes, it would seem iCloud may as well be vapourware for me.
Rating: 10 Positives / 5 Negatives

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