Why do Apple offer a 200gb iCloud storage option??

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Why do Apple offer a 200gb iCloud storage option??

I have a simple question regarding iCloud, photos and general storage on an iPhone.

Question: If I own an iPhone with 256gb of storage, and it's the only apple device I own, it wouldn't make any sense at all to own anymore than 256gb of individual iCloud storage, correct? This is purely hypothetical as it relates to the numbers I'm throwing out. Since iCloud and my physical device are mirrors of each other, i.e. they sync up at given points in time, my iCloud storage could never exceed 256gb anyway. Why do apple offer a 200gb iCloud storage option then, instead of 256gb, which would mirror the iPhone?

I'm mostly asking this to better understand how iCloud and iPhone storage work. I believe they are strictly mirroring each other and that is the only thing they do. It's odd to me that the iPhone and iCloud storage options don't match up.

If my 256gb iPhone is getting full because I take a lot of pictures, instead of deleting photos, would it not make sense for iCloud to have an option for "INSERT NEW PHOTOS ONLY". Anyone who works in database design and data ingestion is familiar with the terms insert/update/upsert etc. This would allow for the user to have, say, 1tb of iCloud storage and 256gb of iPhone storage and still take tons and tons of photos. Any new photos is inserted into iCloud at a given interval. If any photo is deleted on the iPhone to make space, it won't delete from iCloud, allowing you to maintain all photos you've taken.

iPhone 16 Pro, iOS 18

Posted on Sep 30, 2024 11:34 AM

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Answer 1

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FoxFifth

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Sep 30, 2024 11:45 AM in response to justadam

It is possible to use more storage on iCloud than on your iPhone. See the following from Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support

Turn on Optimize Storage

iCloud Photos keeps all your photos and videos in their original, high-resolution version. To save storage space on your device, you can turn on Optimize Storage.

If you turn on Optimize Storage, iCloud Photos automatically manages the size of your library on your device. Your original photos and videos are stored in iCloud and space-saving versions are kept on your device. Your library is optimized only when you need space, starting with the photos and videos you access least. You can download the original photos and videos over Wi-Fi or cellular when you need them.

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Answer 2

muguy

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Sep 30, 2024 11:42 AM in response to justadam

A 256GB phone should be able to backup to 200 GB iCloud easily. You can also optimize photos to keep originals in iCloud and reduced size versions on device to free space.

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Answer 3

FoxFifth

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Sep 30, 2024 1:11 PM in response to justadam

Backup and iCloud Photo syncing are two different things. There is no optimization with iCloud Backup. iCloud Backup will include photos (unless they are specifically excluded) if iCloud Photos is not turned on but won't include them if iCloud Photos is turned on. iCloud Photos syncing is dynamic, happening whenever there is a change (new photo, edited photo or deleted photo) while iCloud Backup only happens periodically (while phone is charging).

re: I think it's odd that the next option up from 200gb is 2TB. If I have the 256gb iPhone, the 2TB option is really the only option that makes logical sense. i.e. You should have the 128gb iPhone if you have the 200gb iCloud storage option.

It's more than just about what the capacity of the phone is -- it's about what you have on the phone.

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Answer 4

muguy

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Sep 30, 2024 12:11 PM in response to justadam

Not sure what you mean. My photo library is about 150GB but takes up about 25GB on my phone. That’s how optimization works.

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Answer 5

justadam Author

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Sep 30, 2024 12:00 PM in response to FoxFifth

Ok, thank you. I think this makes sense. So in theory, it make more sense to have more iCloud storage than the storage option you have on your iPhone. Is that generally an accurate statement? The 200gb iCloud storage option is probably better suited for the 128gb iPhone users.

I think it's odd that the next option up from 200gb is 2TB. If I have the 256gb iPhone, the 2TB option is really the only option that makes logical sense. i.e. You should have the 128gb iPhone if you have the 200gb iCloud storage option.

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Answer 6

justadam Author

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Sep 30, 2024 12:03 PM in response to muguy

Based on the other response I received here, this doesn't make sense. If iCloud is keeping the photos and videos in their original high resolution, but optimizing storage on device, 256gb iPhone could have issues mirroring to 200gb of iCloud storage. But perhaps I'm misunderstanding both replies.

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Answer 7

justadam Author

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Sep 30, 2024 12:18 PM in response to muguy

I'm not sure I understand both your responses. They seem to contradict one another. You iCloud photo library is 150GB? But takes up 25GB on your iPhone (due to optimization?). That contradicts your first reply where you stated that 256GB on phone should be able to backup to 200gb iCloud storage.

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Answer 8

justadam Author

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Sep 30, 2024 1:28 PM in response to FoxFifth

Yes, my apologies, what I've been referencing is the syncing of photos, and really also the backup of photos. I take a photo on my iPhone, whether it's via sync or backup, that photo ends up in my iCloud account period.

Let me ask a more simplified question because I'm still not sure my question is being answered:

Let's say I buy the 128gb iPhone today and it has 0gb of anything on it and I have photo optimization turned off. Let's also say I have the 50gb of iCloud storage. Within the first hour of owning the phone, I take a massive amount of photos. So many photos that my iPhone fills up the 128gb of storage. As my iPhone syncs the photos with my 50gb of iCloud storage, I will run into an issue where my iCloud storage can't store all of these photos. Is this an accurate statement?

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Answer 9

muguy

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Sep 30, 2024 1:31 PM in response to justadam

Yes you cannot store more than 50GB in iCloud.

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Why do Apple offer a 200gb iCloud storage option??

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