Apple Slashes iCloud Storage Prices
Apple has announced cheaper pricing and fewer tiers for its iCloud storage. The company announced the upcoming changes when it unveiled the iPhone 6S earlier this month, but waited to reveal global pricing and the new tiers until the release of iOS 9 yesterday.
Apple has continued its 5GB of free iCloud storage offer, but it's stopped the 20GB and 500GB tiers. The new monthly rates for US users start at 99c for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, and $9.99 for 1TB.
The company has rolled out new prices in 26 currencies, which are roughly equivalent to the US dollar exchange rate plus local taxes.
Nations where value added tax (VAT) is included are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
iCloud prices in the UK are £0.79 for 50 GB, £2.49 for 200GB, and £6.99 for 1TB; and in eurozone nations, ?0.99, ?2.99, and ?9.99 respectively. Previously in the UK iCloud storage costed £0.79 for 20GB, £2.99 for 200GB, £6.99 for 500GB, and £14.99 for 1TB.
Microsoft charges $1.99 for 100GB, $3.99 for 200GB, and $6.99 for 1TB on OneDrive. Google meanwhile starts at $1.99 for 100GB, $9.99 for 1TB, $99 for 10TB, $199.99 for 20TB and $299.99 for 30TB. Dropbox still charges $9.99 a month for 1TB.
Amazon also has two competitive Cloud Drive plans, which it prices at $11.99 a year for unlimited photos and $59.99 for its "unlimited everything" offer.