Unveiled by Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the 2011 WWDC on Moday, June 6, 2011, the long-awaited iCloud service offers new functionality for iTunes. It also allows users to store documents, calendars, contacts, photos and music online as well as distribute them to other devices including Macs, iPads, iPhones and Windows PCs.
With iCloud, a new contact created on your iPhone gets automatically pushed to the cloud and syncs to all of your devices and computers. The same comes with iBookstore, which download purchased books to all your devices after you buy them and allow you to see your purchase history.
The two examples above are among top ten roaring new features of Apple iCloud.
iTunes in the Cloud
In the past, users had to purchase from iTunes to their iPhone or iPad. But now they can free download music with iTunes in the Cloud
The iCloud can also automatically download any new music purchase to all your devices over Wi-Fi or 3G
iTunes Match
iTunes Match will mirror the songs that you ripped from CDs or bought from other stores in the cloud with over 18 million tracks available. It is scheduled to be released this fall for a $25 annual fee
iCloud’s Photo Stream
When users take photos with an iPhone or iPad, the Photo Stream service will automatically upload them to iCloud and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices and computers. With a special Photo Stream album stored in iCloud, users also view the photos on your Apple TV
iCloud Backup
When users charge their device, Backup takes sync to the next level by backing up your iOS devices to iCloud daily over Wi-Fi
Apps in the Cloud
Any apps users purchased will be available for redownload on any iOS device via a purchase-history menu. Users can have iCloud that includes 5GB of free cloud storage for Mail, Document Storage and Backup automatically pushes new purchases to all their devices
iBooks in the Cloud
With iCloud, iBookstore can download purchased books to all your devices after you buy them and allow you to see your purchase history
Documents in the Cloud
The 5GB iCloud storage will consist of all documents you create using iCloud Storage APIs, which automatically push to all your devices. When you change a document on any device, the changes automatically push to other iOS devices
New Mail
Mail in iCloud is add-free and pushes messages across all your devices so that your inbox and mailboxes stay up-to-date on all your iOS devices and computers
New Contacts
iCloud keeps contacts in sync on all connected iOS devices, so you don't have to connect your phone to a computer to get your latest contact updates
New Calendar
As with MobileMe, the iCloud calendar keeps your events in sync across iPads, iPhones, and Macs as well as supports shared datebooks for groups
Steve Jobs Introduces Apple iCloud at 2011 WWDC
Related links:
WWDC 2011: Biggest News To Watch On
Apple iCloud: Top Ten Roaring New Features