If you are like me, you might have an iPhone or iPad for your mobility devices but still use a Windows computer for your productivity or work needs. So you may be wondering how to manage your photos. Should you use iCloud or Google Photos?
Is iCloud better than Google Photos
If you are using an iPhone to capture your photos, you may be inclined to think that iCloud is the best Photo storage solution. iCloud has many advantages.
- ability to upload photos directly from your iPhone automatically
- ability to see previews of your photos and download a high-resolution version anytime on your phone
- sharing between your iPhone, iPad and Mac computer is seamless
- sharing photos with your family and friends with iPhones is extremely easy
- paid storage can be shared with your Family
But what about the Windows computer? Sure Apple has an iCloud app in the Microsoft Store that will create a virtual drive on your computer where all your photos will be downloaded. But except for a pure download, there is no other feature with a Windows PC. You can view, copy or organize your photos but none of the AI features on the Mac can be used.
So then, is Google Photos better than the iCloud
Considering the same situation that you are using an iPhone for photo capturing and a Windows PC, Google Photos may be a better solution when thinking on viewing the photos on the PC.
With Google Photos you install an app on your iPhone and have the camera roll backed up automatically on your Google Photos account.
In your camera roll you only see the photos you have on the device. So eventually you’ll have to delete some photos because your device will run out of memory.
But in your Google Photos app, you can see everything uploaded to Google Photos, AI collections, sorting by events, people and types of media. You’ll also see the same on your PC in the Chrome browser. A much better experience on the PC than iCloud and a good experience on the iPhone but not in the Photos app. You’d have to use the Google Photos app.
Are my photos secure in the cloud?
With any cloud solution, you’re not just uploading the photos but also the EXIF data. This data is attached to any photo you upload to the cloud and it contains photo information like camera and lens used, photography settings, resolution but also the location where the photo was taken, the date and the time.
By the way, some of the social media sites also upload this information and hackers can access it.
So if your data is ever exposed due to a data breach or a hack, your photo information can tell a story about you, like your home location, where were you at certain times or where you will be.
Apple and Google are very serious about the data security. But that doesn’t mean they are not vulnerable. There could always be a data breach or a hack, sometimes even coming from inside the company.
So yes, your data is secure,… until it’s not.
How much does it cost?
Both iCloud and Google Photos are similarly priced. If you opt for the free tier, iCloud offers 5GB of storage while Google offers 15GB. Keep in mind that the 5Gb from iCloud could also have your iPhone or iPad backup or some other app data stored in iCloud so that runs out quick. Also Google Photos storage is shared with your documents on your Google Drive so that could also run out quick
For the paid tiers, see the Google and the iCloud current pricing.
