Item: Apple iCloud
Rating: 9
Author: Gavin Scott-Miller

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use iCloud at both work and at home. It is helpful to share information at a moment's notice and have a secure back up of information that I might need to reference as you would any cloud storage solution. Its integration with all apple products very much speeds up the ease of use for all those involved because training time is very low and it is easy for many people to understand how it all works.

Pros and Cons

Speed - As soon as the transfer is complete you immediately have all the information backed up to access on any computer that you desire to log into. Transferring information from your phone to this service is seamless and easy to understand.
Reliability - I have used iCloud ever since I've had an iPhone (over 5 years) and I never once have lost a file or document due to Apple's failure.
Ease of mind for file locations. You always know where your files are

Customization - iCloud is great at the stuff it does well. But it lacks features that some competitors (in Google Drive or Dropbox) do really well. API support for third-party apps is really great for some other people.
Remote use - Managing or accessing information from iCloud while not on one of your logged-in apple devices can sometimes be an issue. From a work computer for example. It doable, but the experience is much less user-friendly.
Ability to edit documents on the cloud similar to google docs or some other competitors

Most Important Features

The new sharing feature makes collaboration a much easier task
The ability to sync desktops makes this very friendly for users who are not used to sync all files on their computer
Backing up of photos, iMessages and other items gives peace of mind if your device is lost or stolen

Return on Investment

The ability to not have to only rely on physical media backups has been hugely helpful.
The costs of a larger plan will be much cheaper for the short term if you have LOTS of storage you might want to look into hard drives for that.
There are major opportunity costs if important data was not properly backed up.

Alternatives Considered

Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and Box

iCloud is probably the best option for someone who uses primarily Apple devices and services. If you are multi-platform in your technology use I would make sure you test out the free version of iCloud before you make the switch, Apple likes to play nice with Apple, which means at times some pretty basic quality of life features can be missing if you aren't within the eco-system.

Key Insights

Do you think Apple iCloud delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Apple iCloud's feature set?

Yes

Did Apple iCloud live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Apple iCloud go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Apple iCloud again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Google Drive, Bluebeam Revu, Trimble Accubid

Likelihood to Recommend

iCloud is really best suited for personal or home use. iCloud for Business can be done with some customization, however, it is missing some great features that some other competitors excel at. Sharing documents with those outside the organization or file restrictions and sharing can be some of its major downfalls. I would recommend using the free version of iCloud and sharing some documents around in a fashion that you might work each day before you make the switch for your company.

Support Rating

It always seems to work, and I rarely have issues with this product, to begin with. However, getting ahold of Apple support can be a pain, but once you are in contact with them, they pretty much never hang up the phone until there is some sort of action plan that has been agreed upon.

iCloud - Should I delve into the walled garden?

Overall Satisfaction with Apple iCloud