Thanks to iCloud, with the introduction of iOS 5 this fall, iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad users no longer need to connect their devices to a Mac or PC in order to use them.

features pcfree

Apple is calling the new feature PC Free, and it allows users to activate their devices wirelessly, right out of the box. Future iOS updates can be downloaded over-the-air and iCloud will enable backups of photos, music, contacts, calendars and more -- and allow users to simply type in their AppleID and password to restore a new device from an iCloud backup. That should make Genius Bar device swaps much more convenient as well, not to mention easier and quicker Personal Setup on new iOS devices at Apple Stores.

This is a long-needed feature that should further expand the reach of Apple's devices. Tech-savvy youngsters can buy products for their parents and grandparents without needing to teach them about syncing or for them to even need any other device. The vaunted "digital hub" that Apple introduced with the original iPod nearly 10 years ago, which had the Mac at the center of your digital world with other devices surrounding it, is gone.

Now, Apple's (free!) iCloud service will be the center of everything.

Tag: iCloud

Top Rated Comments

GeekLawyer Avatar
167 months ago
Grandparents of the world: rejoice!!

(And we grandchildren who previously provided tech support: really rejoice!!)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Merthyrboy Avatar
167 months ago
Wireless backups. Yay! such a nice feature that is.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SockRolid Avatar
167 months ago
Free software + services = more hardware sales

Apple uses free built-in apps and now iCloud to sell hardware. Google uses free software to sell ads to advertisers.

Which approach do you prefer?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSee Avatar
167 months ago
No computer needed to start or operate a smartphone. Wow, quite an invention to be proud of. Of course, every other brand of smartphone I have used since the beginning of time was able to be used out of the box - no computer needed, no activation. Just put in your SIM and go. But clearly this is some novelty by Apple.

Not to mention the idiocy of calling supposed invention "PC free", as if Apples own tethering was not the problem in the first place. I mean why not call it "Mac Free". At least that would be honest.

Of course this isnt honest as you are still tethered as you must activate the phone by connecting to Apple anyway - just that now you are tethered to a data center in North Carolina. Which I guess means that we these devices are not even free anyway.

Sometimes you just have to give George Orwell his credit - we are surely living in a "1984" world, only difference is thtat it is a commercial one.

I think the point is that you get backups, media synching and sharing, data synching and sharing, etc. without a PC.

If you've been using smart phones without a computer you've had to get by without these things.

Also, if you're concerned about Big Brother, activation and an optional iCloud is the least of your worries... You certainly don't want to be carrying around any cell phone, smart, dumb, whatever.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
superspiffy Avatar
167 months ago
Can we create music/photo smart albums and delete now?

If iOS devices can now exist autonomously and be PC Free, does this mean I can create new smart playlists, change meta data, delete music, create photo albums, smart albums, rate photos, etc all in my iOS device? Because that is really the only reason why I still sync my iPad and a iPhone to my Mac.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nermal Avatar
167 months ago
Delta updates = Only the files that have changed are downloaded (like Android updates). Under the current system you need to download a several hundred MB image, so the delta updates will be much smaller.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
iphone 16 dummies

iPhone 16 Dummy Models Showcase Design Changes, New Buttons

Tuesday March 26, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Images comparing purportedly accurate dummy models of the iPhone 16 series have been shared online, providing a closer look at the rumored design of the upcoming devices. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to get larger display sizes this year, according to multiple sources, while the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be the same size as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. ...