In 2016, Apple signed a deal with Google to use Google Cloud Platform for some iCloud services. īeginning in 2011, iCloud is based on Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure (Apple iOS Security white paper published in 2014, Apple acknowledged that encrypted iOS files are stored in Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure ). One of Apple's original iCloud data centers is located in Maiden, North Carolina, US. The company has six data centers in the United States, two in Denmark, and three in Asia. ICloud replaced Apple's MobileMe service, acting as a data syncing center for email, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, notes, reminders (to-do lists), iWork documents, photos, and other data.Īpple has eleven company owned and operated data centers supporting iCloud services.
Service users are also able to share photos, music, and games instantly by linking accounts via AirDrop wireless. ICloud also provides the means to wirelessly back up iOS devices directly to iCloud, instead of being reliant on manual backups to a host Mac or Windows computer using iTunes. ICloud enables users to store data such as documents, photos, and music on remote servers for download to iOS, macOS or Windows devices, to share and send data to other users, and to manage their Apple devices if lost or stolen. As of 2018, the service had an estimated 850 million users, up from 782 million users in 2016. ICloud is a cloud storage and cloud computing service from Apple Inc.
