I don't want to get locked into the iOS ecosystem necessarily

[joemontana57]

Coming from a long time Android user, I pre-ordered an iPhone 12 pro.

Many of the issues that I have seen with people with iPhones is it the pictures going to the iCloud and basically it's a wall garden It seemed like.

There's a way to direct my pictures,etc, to go into Google photos?

I'm totally new at this so I'm asking questions just to sort of get a handle on it when I get the phone.
Joe

 

[Annie_M]

I use both iCloud storage and Google Photos. I downloaded the App, and set it up so that all my photos are automatically saved onto Google Photos. It's just a nice security net. You can also save your photos on services like dropbox.

 

[wenrob]

Sure. Just add the apps you want to use and set them to back up. I back up to Prime Photos as well as iCloud. My daughter uses Prime and Google. You don’t have to use iCloud for photos, it’s not like they’d be trapped there.

 

[joemontana57]

I use both iCloud storage and Google Photos. I downloaded the App, and set it up so that all my photos are automatically saved onto Google Photos. It's just a nice security net. You can also save your photos on services like dropbox.

Thank you

 

[joemontana57]

Thank you.

Sure. Just add the apps you want to use and set them to back up. I back up to Prime Photos as well as iCloud. My daughter uses Prime and Google. You don’t have to use iCloud for photos, it’s not like they’d be trapped there.

 

[Highrisedrifter]

My photos get backed up to Microsoft OneDrive as I get a terabyte of space. I don't use icloud photos as it doesn't play well with a PC. It's not bad, it's just that for me, OneDrive is superior in that regard.

 

[camaroz1985]

My photos get backed up to Microsoft OneDrive as I get a terabyte of space. I don't use icloud photos as it doesn't play well with a PC. It's not bad, it's just that for me, OneDrive is superior in that regard.

I do the same. Though now before switching devices I have the photos that are still on my phone synced to icloud so they will be on the new phone as well, and I can save them to it. I'm sure there is some other way to do that as well (save them to a folder on OneDrive, and then download to my new phone maybe), but this seems to be easiest for me.

 

[FFR]

I would be more cautious with google photos. It’s much easier to move your photos out of iCloud than it is to move your photos out of google photos.

Best of luck.

 

[metllicamilitia]

I would be more cautious with google photos. It’s much easier to move your photos out of iCloud than it is to move your photos out of google photos.

Best of luck.

Just hit download, from any device.

 

[FFR]

Just hit download, from any device.

Will that download the original quality photos to your device or the compressed version.

 

[metllicamilitia]

Will that download the original quality photos to your device or the compressed version.

Up to the user in how they choose to store in Google Photos. Original quality, high quality, and I'm not sure if low quality is still an option. Whatever you upload you can download.

 

[joemontana57]

Just hit download, from any device.

But the only Apple device I have, or will have, is an iPhone. I have a PC and I have no plans to change that. would I be able to download pictures from icloud onto a PC

 

[metllicamilitia]

But the only Apple device I have, or will have, is an iPhone. I have a PC and I have no plans to change that. would I be able to download pictures from icloud onto a PC

You can access your iCloud Photo Library from a web browser. I believe there is a download option there, however, you may need to be sure you check another box to download the original quality photo.

 

[FFR]

Up to the user in how they choose to store in Google Photos. Original quality, high quality, and I'm not sure if low quality is still an option. Whatever you upload you can download.

It depends on the price plan the user chooses.

Another user was complaining that the only way they were able to export original resolution photos from google photos was to do it one by one, don’t know if that has changed.

But the only Apple device I have, or will have, is an iPhone. I have a PC and I have no plans to change that. would I be able to download pictures from icloud onto a PC

Yes. If you want the best experience on the iPhone, I would use iCloud, it’s seamless.

 

[metllicamilitia]

It depends on the price plan the user chooses.

Another user was complaining that the only way they were able to export original resolution photos from google photos was to do it one by one, don’t know if that has changed.



Yes. If you want the best experience on the iPhone, I would use iCloud, it’s seamless.

Same as Apple. Both charge for additional storage past the base level. That’s it. The only cost. You can download multiple photos at once.

 

[Tartarus]

But the only Apple device I have, or will have, is an iPhone. I have a PC and I have no plans to change that. would I be able to download pictures from icloud onto a PC

You can access your iCloud Photo Library from a web browser. I believe there is a download option there, however, you may need to be sure you check another box to download the original quality photo.

Apple has made an app available for Windows.
It’s called iCloud for Windows.
You can enable iCloud Photo Library on there and assign a folder on your computer to it.
It will then download all your photos in iCloud Photo Library to that folder.

 

[joemontana57]

Perfect. Thank you! I just remember when Apple used to be so much of a walled garden, but apparently things are changing.

Apple has made an app available for Windows.
It’s called iCloud for Windows.
You can enable iCloud Photo Library on there and assign a folder on your computer to it.
It will then download all your photos in iCloud Photo Library to that folder.

 

[FFR]

Same as Apple. Both charge for additional storage past the base level. That’s it. The only cost. You can download multiple photos at once.

iCloud doesn’t compress the photo, you can select the photos to be compressed on the iPhone but not in iCloud, hence it being pretty seamless.


As far as I know you have to select the original resolution when uploading to google photos which would require to pay for storage depending on the size of the library. Irregardless google photos isn’t seamless or straightforward when it comes to googles server side compression.

 

[metllicamilitia]

iCloud doesn’t compress the photo, you can select the photos to be compressed on the iPhone but not in iCloud, hence it being pretty seamless.


As far as I know you have to select the original resolution when uploading to google photos which would require to pay for storage depending on the size of the library. Irregardless google photos isn’t seamless or straightforward when it comes to googles server side compression.

You’ve made it abundantly clear you don’t know what you’re talking about. I on the other hand use both iCloud Photos and Google Photos. Original Quality uploads is one a one time global setting.

Original storage takes up your Google Drive storage. Google gives you 15GB free with a Google Account as opposed to Apple’s 5GB free. Yes I have more, they gave me 1TB because I have Google Fiber internet. Once you reach your storage limit you can purchase more storage from Google. Next tier is 100GB for $1.99 per month. After 5GB’s Apple’s next option is 50GB for $0.99 per month.

I am well aware you are super Apple fanboy and that’s fine. However, I won’t let you spread disinformation because of it. So before you decide to respond again, please do better research because as I said, I use both services. I have immediate and first hand knowledge on the matter.

 

[Tartarus]

Perfect. Thank you! I just remember when Apple used to be so much of a walled garden, but apparently things are changing.

I have been using iCloud for Windows for at least 5 years now.