Apple has raised iCloud prices in many markets around the world – and suffice to say, subscribers are not happy.
Customers in the UK, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South America are among those affected by the move, which will see iCloud subscription prices jump by around 25% from next month.
In the UK, for instance, Apple’s 50GB iCloud plan has increased from £0.79 to £0.99, the 200GB plan from £2.49 to £2.99, and the 2TB plan from £6.99 to £8.99. US prices remain unaffected for now, as do Apple One prices globally.
As our sister site, TechRadar Pro, notes, it’s likely that these increases represent an attempt on Apple’s part to tie back into true values that have been affected by currency exchange rate fluctuations in recent months, but that justification will come as little consolation to those who will soon be forced to fork out more for their monthly iCloud storage allowance.
“As a paying user I think Apple needs to add more features and switch around some of the storage options,” one Twitter user wrote in response to the move, while another tweeted: “That's just greediness.”
They really need the money 🫠 https://t.co/tJe5NYIpYYJune 27, 2023
It’s also worth reiterating that Apple offers no additional iCloud storage options between 200GB and 2TB – a fact not lost on those subscribers who require more than 200GB but use noticeably less than 2TB: “Apple are taking the piss with their iCloud storage price increase. From £6.99 for 2TB to £8.99. There’s no in-between from 200GB to 2TB. Was this really necessary in the UK?!”
Annually, the move will see UK subscribers pay £2.40 more for Apple’s 50GB iCloud plan, £6 more for the 200GB plan and £24 more for the 2TB plan. Those might seem like marginal increases, but they do now mean that Google’s best cloud storage options are – for the first time – cheaper than Apple’s.
Of course, Apple still offers 5GB of free iCloud storage to all iPhone users, but that option is only really suitable for those who don't have a large library of files, videos and images. For context, an image shot on the iPhone 14 Pro takes up around 2.5MB of memory, while a ten-second video clip, shot in 4K, takes up around 25MB.
If you’re wondering how much iCloud storage you need, head over to our dedicated guide. Alternatively, these 5 tips on how to free up space could help you drop down to a cheaper tier of additional iCloud storage.
