iCloud, Apps and the Interactive Web
Apple announced iCloud last week. They aren’t changing the internet here, the technology is the same stuff Google has been doing for a few years now. What is changing is how we interact with the cloud.
Let’s look at the Google Scenario:
- Open up your browser of choice
- Go to http://docs.google.com
- Login
- Make some docs, and save it in a folder so you can access it later.
Pretty awesome. You can now log in from any web browser in the world and access your document. Hooray cloud.
Now lets look at the Apple Scenario:
- Launch Pages
- Make some docs and save it so you can access it later.
Even more awesome. iCloud will automatically take that document you saved and push it to your iPhone, iPad and your Mac. You don’t need to go find it in a folder. It will just be there the next time you open it up.
Lets think about this. iCloud gets rid of the entire concept of folders. It also allows the user to have a rich experience, because the quality of “apps” are much more robust and easier to use than a “web-app.” Some may argue, but all of these new innovations with HTML5 + JavaScript + <insert new buzz word> are simply technologies that try to re-create a desktop experience inside of the browser.
iCloud isn’t so much about moving your data into the cloud, than it is keeping your experience consistent across all of your devices. iCloud is about keeping your digital lifestyle in sync.
