After years of missteps, Apple finally got the cloud shortly before Steve’s death in 2011. Replacing MobileMe with iCloud brought a slew of new features to IOS devices. In-the-air syncing, iMessage, wireless backups and PC-free operation were great starts to the iCloud service, and I think the following additions will put Apple light years ahead of the competition.
1. Unify Apple IDs. I have a trail of Apple IDs dating back to the early days of the iTunes Music Store. My three or so IDs are tied to specific content that I don’t want to part with. And my iCloud Apple ID is different from my FaceTime ID which is different from my Apple Retail ID. Having the ability for Apple ID veterans to merge these identities would cut down on password headaches and improve the overall Apple experience.
2. Optional auto updates for apps. iOS4 does a great job of removing the digital housekeeping tasks from the end user but I find myself updating apps several times a week. I think there should be a setting to allow users to opt-in for nightly updates when available.
3. Better File Management. The vision for IOS abstracts the user from the underlying file system. While this helps users concentrate on their content, it makes for a difficult process to do something as simple as including a file attachment in a new email message. Implementing a “File Center” for files hosted on iCloud or a Spotlight enhancement to include and interact with iCloud files would solve this in a simple, intuitive way, opening up convenience for desktop and mobile users alike. Jobs may have envisioned Dropbox serving this role when he made the unsuccessful push to acquire the startup in 2009.
4. Photostream for Music. As I wrote earlier last year, 2011 was all about revolutionizing the music experience by leveraging the cloud. Much to my disappointment, I still have to tether my iDevices to my computer to get content not purchased through Apple on my devices. And with Amazon and now Google making big plays in online music sales, this is becoming more and more true for me. Not to mention smaller artists who sell tracks directly from their own private sites. While I understand why this would be a hard business sell for Apple to make to the big labels who have traditionally dragged their heels on digital innovations, wifi syncing for all my digital content- regardless of the origin- would put the magic back into iCloud.
5. Tighter Mail Integration. Having my Exchange account synced between my desktop and iDevices isn’t an iCloud feature, but I see value syncing my folders and smart mailboxes that keep me as organized at my desk while I’m away from the office. One of my favorite things about Google Chrome is having my bookmarks, history, account log-ins and preferences synced between computers and if Apple can pull this off with OSX and iOS applications, it could be a true game changer.
iCloud has a ton of potential and is already making my life easier by taking care of syncing behind the scenes to simplify my digital content management. It’s an incredible opportunity for Apple to showcase their digital ecosystem and retain users.
