Apple testing upload functionality on iCloud Photos

Apple testing upload functionality on iCloud Photos

As part of yesterday�s batch of Apple app refreshes, among them the iMovie for iOS update which has enabled support for iCloud Photo Library and the ability to share videos with iCloud Photo Sharing, Apple has now added upload functionality to a beta version of the iCloud Photos web app available to registered iOS developers.
The features makes it easy to use a desktop computer to upload JPG images using the web interface at beta.icloud.com, making them available on all iOS devices and Macs that have iCloud Photo Library turned on.
Upon logging in to beta.icloud.com with your developer account, you should see the new Upload option added to the toolbar at the top of the interface, like this.

Clicking the option brings up a file chooser allowing you to select one or more images in the JPG format. A handy upload progress indicator at the bottom of the page shows the progress of your image uploads.
After the images have been uploaded, all iOS devices with iCloud Photo Library enabled will download full resolution or device-optimized photos, depending on your preferences, when on Wi-Fi.
For the time being, it�s not possible to upload photos and videos in .PNG, .MOV, .MP4 and other file formats that iOS supports. Again, this feature is currently enabled only for Apple�s registered iOS developers with access to a beta version of the iCloud portal through beta.icloud.com.
Consumer iCloud accounts should gain photo upload functionality in the coming weeks.
Any uploaded images count against your iCloud storage quota.
Apple offers five gigabytes of iCloud storage space for free and has recently decreased pricing of storage upgrades. Now you can boost your iCloud storage to twenty gigabytes for 99 cents per month (200 gigabytes for $3.99) or upgrade your iCloud account to a cool 1 terabyte of storage for a monthly fee of $19.99

Read full post »

Apple likely readying Photos app for iCloud com

Apple likely readying Photos app for iCloud.com

Apple is most likely developing a Photos web app for iCloud.com to support desktop viewing of photos backed up in iCloud Photo Library using any computer with a standard-compliant web browser, according to a screenshot and other evidence discovered Wednesday in an Apple support document by Benjamin Mayo of 9to5Mac.
Furthermore, error messages from iCloud.com shown when trying to access the beta.iCloud.com/#photos URL strongly indicate there�s a Photos app in development for iCloud�s interface on the web.
The top image used in Apple�s help document clearly shows the non-existent Photos icon in the iCloud.com�s main navigation menu. Seen below is the error message saying �there was an error loading an application� when attempting to access beta.iCloud.com/#photos.

In addition to the user-facing iCloud.com interface, developers also have access to the Beta.iCloud.com website where future features are being tested. The fact that the iCloud beta site responds with an error message to the beta.iCloud.com/#photos URL is the strongest indication yet that the Photos web app, if any, would eventually be located at the iCloud.com/#photos URL when ready for public consumption.
I should also point out that accessing other URLs like beta.iCloud.com/#photoos or beta.iCloud.com/#photos1 yields no error message whatsoever, another proof that some sort of a web app has been locked at the URL.
I have no doubt in my mind that a web-based Photos app is in the works. It makes a lot of sense to be able to access our iCloud Photo Library in a web browser, in addition to the stock iOS 8 Photos app on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.
Just recently, Apple introduced the new iCloud Drive and Settings web apps for the iCloud.com portal. Therefore, if we can now access our files in iCloud Drive using a web browser, why not our photographs, too?
iCloud Photo Library is currently in beta (funny you should ask). A Mac version of the Photos app is in the works and due for public release at some point next year. As you know, Apple has stopped development of the iPhoto and Aperture software for the Mac in favor of the upcoming Photos for Mac software.
Is the Photos web app a good idea, do you think?

Read full post »

Apple warns of new iCloud threat

Apple warns of new iCloud threat

Online storage service attacked via vulnerable security certificates, says Apple, as activists point finger at Chinese government

Apple has said its own servers have not been breached by an attack on iCloud. Photograph: Alamy

Apple has posted a new security warning for users of its iCloud online storage service amid reports of a concerted effort to steal passwords and other data from people who use the popular service in China.
�We�re aware of intermittent organised network attacks using insecure certificates to obtain user information, and we take this very seriously,� the company said in a post on Tuesday on its support website. The post said Apple�s own servers had not been compromised.
Apple�s post did not mention China or provide any details on the attacks. But it was reported on Tuesday that some Chinese internet users have begun seeing warnings that indicate they had been diverted to an unauthorised website when they attempted to sign into their iCloud accounts.
That kind of diversion, known to computer security experts as a �man in the middle� attack, could allow a third party to copy and steal the passwords that users enter when they think they are signing into Apple�s service. Hackers could then use the passwords to collect other data from the users� accounts.
Chinese activists blamed the attacks on that country�s government, according to news reports and the Chinese activist website GreatFire.org, which suggested the campaign was spurred by the fact that Apple recently began selling its newest iPhone models, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, in China. The new smartphones have software with enhanced encryption features to protect Apple users� data.
Apple said in its post that the attacks had not affected users signing into iCloud from their iPhones or iPads, or on Mac computers while using the latest Mac operating system and Apple�s Safari browser. But the company suggested users should verify they were connecting to a legitimate iCloud server by using the security features built into Safari and other browsers such as Firefox and Chrome. The browsers will show a message that warns users when they are connecting to a site that doesn�t have a digital certificate verifying that it is authentic.
�If users get an invalid certificate warning in their browser while visiting www.icloud.com , they should pay attention to the warning and not proceed,� Apple said in the post.
The attacks appear unrelated to an episode in September in which hackers stole nude photos from the iCloud accounts of several US celebrities. In that case Apple said its investigation concluded the hackers had obtained the users� passwords through so-called �phishing attacks� or by guessing at the answers to security questions that allowed access. The company said its servers were not breached in that case.

Read full post »