Cloud Storage Question: Question: My iCloud storage is full; half the space is taken up by iPhone and iPad backup. The rest is photos. Can I safely delete the iPhone and iPad backups...

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Question: My iCloud storage is full; half the space is taken up by iPhone and iPad backup. The rest is photos. Can I safely delete the iPhone and iPad backups to make photo space, or should I buy more space?

Any thoughts?

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

jaymatt wrote:

Question: My iCloud storage is full; half the space is taken up by iPhone and iPad backup. The rest is photos. Can I safely delete the iPhone and iPad backups to make photo space, or should I buy more space?

Any thoughts?

I'd use a different service that offers a little less integration and easier management. Backblaze is a good alternative for photographers. It handles versions within a 30 day window, has software to schedule backups, can backup external drives, lets you set your own upload bandwidth, and in the event of a catastrophic failure, you can order a USB drive with your files on it - which you can mail back to Backblaze for a refund within 30 days. It also has a lo-jack feature that will help locate a stolen computer.

It only costs $60 a year for unlimited storage. Compared to Apple's $13/mo for just 1TB storage - they can keep it.

micolh Loc: NYC

Gene51 wrote:

I'd use a different service that offers a little l... (show quote)

Are the small compact devices from WD that range up to 3TB and others like them, not an option? Is the Cloud or other like sites better??

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Gene51 wrote:

I'd use a different service that offers a little l... (show quote)

Right on again

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jaymatt wrote:

Question: My iCloud storage is full; half the space is taken up by iPhone and iPad backup. The rest is photos. Can I safely delete the iPhone and iPad backups to make photo space, or should I buy more space?

Any thoughts?

I wold keep the iPhone backup. If there is a problem with the phone, or you get a new one, that backup will be invaluable. There are loads of cloud backup services that off a lot of free storage. There's no reason why you can't use several. As a matter of fact, I read about a program that lets you combine several cloud services under one control program.

EDIT: https://www.google.com/#q=how+to+combine+cloud+services

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

micolh wrote:

Are the small compact devices from WD that range up to 3TB and others like them, not an option? Is the Cloud or other like sites better??

Those drives are junk, and they will fail - just a question of when. Better to store in a cloud server for archiving. I suppose they are ok for redundancy for active storage - but I wouldn't want to put anything that I intend to store for a while on them. What I do suggest is to buy your own drive enclosure - about $30 - and put a quality drive in it - like a WD Re, Red Pro, Black, or Hitatchi Ultrastar. These all have great reputations for longevity and reliability, and they have 5 yr warranties. Of course they will cost more, but it will be a lot less than lost files or drive recovery.

micolh Loc: NYC

Love the word; "redundancy" You hardly hear the word anymore. It would be nice to stand in front a High School and ask juniors and seniors what the word means. Thanks for your response.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

jaymatt wrote:

Question: My iCloud storage is full; half the space is taken up by iPhone and iPad backup. The rest is photos. Can I safely delete the iPhone and iPad backups to make photo space, or should I buy more space?

Any thoughts?

The safer thing would be to change your settings in iTunes to back up to your local machine, instead of iCloud. Once you do that, THEN delete the backups from iCloud.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

brucewells wrote:

The safer thing would be to change your settings in iTunes to back up to your local machine, instead of iCloud. Once you do that, THEN delete the backups from iCloud.

Thanks; that makes sense, and I wasn't aware of that choice.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

jaymatt wrote:

Question: My iCloud storage is full; half the space is taken up by iPhone and iPad backup. The rest is photos. Can I safely delete the iPhone and iPad backups to make photo space, or should I buy more space?

Any thoughts?

iCloud is expandable. 5gb is free, but you can pay for more space.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

jaymatt wrote:

Thanks; that makes sense, and I wasn't aware of that choice.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Mac wrote:

iCloud is expandable. 5gb is free, but you can pay for more space.

I know--my Mac tells me every morning.

Yeti Bigtoe

brucewells wrote:

The safer thing would be to change your settings in iTunes to back up to your local machine, instead of iCloud. Once you do that, THEN delete the backups from iCloud.

I feel that backing up to the cloud is much safer than backing up on my local machine. Local machines can break or not become local any more.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

Amazon Cloud for Photos is unlimited storage. If you have the premium membership it is free, otherwise it is $12 a year. I don't think anyone is able to beat price for unlimited storage.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Thanks to all who responded. I have it under control now.