On Monday, Steve Jobs will introduce iCloud to the world at WWDC. We know that iCloud is Apple’s cloud-based content synching service that will run across OS X and iOS but how exactly it will work or what exactly it will do remains a secret.
Cult of Mac is reporting that Apple’s Time Capsule may play a big part in Apple’s iCloud strategy.
Citing a source that wishes to remain anonymous, Cult reports that a users’ Time Machine backups will be available through a “home folder” via the iCloud service. This feature will allow you to access all your data at anytime using both iOS and OS X devices.
What this means is that you, and not the North Carolina data center, will host your own personal and private cloud on your local network that will allow you to access and sync files through your home internet connection.
Time Capsule currently comes in 1TB and 2TB models and on Monday it is expected that Jobs will announce they will soon be running a version of iOS and feature either a A4 or A5 chip.
If you’re a DropBox user, all the above will sound very familiar. With Dropbox you create a local folder that synchronizes your files across multiple computers and devices by storing the files both locally and on Dropbox’s servers.
The difference between iCloud and Dropbox is that the server will be housed locally using Time Capsule and you will manage your own “server”.
This has its advantages in that you are not relying on Apple to store your files on their servers. Some people may have privacy concerns about hosting their personal information with a company like Apple but the inclusion of Time Capsule will go a long way to alleviate those concerns.
However, it also has its disadvantages. Not only will you have to introduce a new piece of hardware into your home or office, you will need to be confident that your broadband connection is stable enough and has a solid level of uptime in order to effectively use the service.
Security would also be a concern since a venerability in your local network or in the version of iOS that is running on Time Capsule may compromise your data.
Personally, I would like to have the option of using Apple’s servers to host my files and the option to use a Time Capsule service on my local network.
I guess all be revealed on Monday.
And while we’re mentioning Dropbox, Jason Calacanis dropped a line on a recent episode of This Week In Startups alleging that Apple recently tried to acquire Dropbox. We don’t believe him. Not after he claimed to have a reviewer copy of the iPad before its release.
