Apple first launched iCloud in June 2011, and the free tier has remained at 5GB ever since. While this free allocation clearly falls short of modern requirements nearly 15 years later, my concern lies deeper within iCloud: the pricing of its paid tiers.
History of iCloud Storage
Historically, Apple has offered 50GB of iCloud storage for $0.99/month, 200GB for $2.99/month, and 2TB for $9.99/month. These prices were established in 2017 and have not changed since.
Prior to 2017, a $9.99/month plan provided 1TB, and the 2TB option was priced at $19.99/month. While it’s commendable that Apple has reduced the price of the 2TB plan, the absence of a 1TB option has created a gap in their storage offerings – a point I’ll elaborate on later.
Since the introduction of these pricing plans in 2017, Apple has added features like Private Relay, Custom Email Domains, Hide My Email, and HomeKit Secure Video (available with the 2TB plan). In 2021, they also rebranded their paid iCloud options to iCloud+.
In 2023, Apple recognized the demand for more iCloud+ storage. Following the launch of Apple One in 2020, which included a 2TB iCloud plan within the Apple One Premier subscription at $34.95/month, users discovered they could stack an additional 2TB subscription for $9.99/month, resulting in a total of 4TB.
While it’s uncertain how many opted for Apple One Premier solely for the extra iCloud storage, it undeniably contributed to the release of new 6TB and 12TB iCloud+ tiers in 2023, priced at $29.99/month and $59.99/month, respectively.
However, no adjustments were made to the existing iCloud+ tiers during this upgrade. The plans created in 2017 persisted, but new premium tiers were added for heavy users.
Apple likely finds the current three-tier structure (excluding the high-end tiers) beneficial. I have long advocated for an affordable 1TB plan between the 200GB and 2TB options, but there must be a calculated business reason for its absence. Therefore, I propose a simpler solution.
My Suggestion
Rather than introducing a fourth lower-tier plan, why not enhance the storage quotas for the existing plans? After nearly a decade of keeping the 50GB and 200GB plans at their current pricing, a revision is overdue. As file sizes continue to expand, 50GB has become insufficient for most users’ iPhone backups.
Here’s my suggestion:
- Free: 5GB (admittedly not much, but this isn’t my primary focus)
- $1.99/month: 100GB
- $3.99/month: 400GB
- $9.99/month: 2TB
The inspiration for the 100GB plan stems from Google’s offering of the same storage for $1.99/month. Given that both Google and Apple charge $9.99/month for the 2TB plan, I believe this is a reasonable basis for pricing.
The proposed 400GB plan at $3.99/month provides a balanced option, offering more storage at a reasonable price while not undermining the 2TB customer base.
Some may argue that Apple strategically maintains the gap between 200GB and 2TB to encourage users to pay for unnecessary storage, but I have a different perspective. I believe many customers, upon reaching their 200GB limit, tend to use iCloud storage less by opting to store photos/videos locally or by deleting items.
Conclusion
For many, the prospect of needing 2TB seems distant, prompting the question of why pay for it now? My proposed pricing structure narrows the gap effectively and offers ample storage for contemporary usage.
When Apple initially introduced its storage tiers, iPhone models were only beginning to transition from 32GB to 64GB of base storage. Nowadays, the options include 128GB and 256GB depending on the model, warranting an adjustment in the iCloud tiers.
Do you support these proposed tiers, or do you envision an alternative? Many might suggest an increase in the free storage allocation as a welcome improvement. We encourage you to share your perspectives in the comments.
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