iCloud - Why? Cost? Data usage? Hard drive usage?

Hi guys,

I bought Apple TV on a whim and after sorta feeling I needed iCloud (to buy TV series and Boxsets for streaming) I bought a yearly subscription but now realise I simply do not understand it. Could you please explain:

iTunes & iMatch:
- When I turn itunes match on, it sends everything to the cloud and then deletes my music data on the phone. I understand that all of my music is on the cloud and I can access it but:
1) Doesn't this require a wifi network when I'm out and about?
2) If I use my cellular data (1GB a month allowance), am I not going to burn through this at warp speed? If so, how and why has iCloud become so popular? It's literally made a cost problem out of nothing; why use iCloud when you can use your phone's hard drive?
3) When I bought a TV box set, I understand that this goes to the cloud automatically but it also is downloaded onto my hard drive. How do you get around the hard drive take-up issue? You'd run out of space super quickly! I was hoping to get rid of my DVDs and CDs but this seems impractical if I need a shed load of hard drive.

End of subscription
- I bought a years sub. What happens when this expires? Does everything on the cloud get deleted or does it get deactivated until you re-subsribe? Also, what happens to the music pushed to the cloud that was not purchased through Apple? Do you lose that too?

Okay, I feel like a real douche for not doing my homework and I'm sorry if this is ignorant. Can someone please enlighten me? So far I'm feeling that iCloud is a bit of a swizz.

I bought Apple TV on a whim and after sorta feeling I needed iCloud (to buy TV series and Boxsets for streaming) I bought a yearly subscription but now realise I simply do not understand it.

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You don't need a paid for iCloud account for this. Just an AppleID.

iTunes & iMatch:
- When I turn itunes match on, it sends everything to the cloud and then deletes my music data on the phone.

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No. It doesn't delete anything from your phone (unless you tell it too).
But you can download tracks back to your phone if you're in this situation or sync them from your iTunes library.

I understand that all of my music is on the cloud and I can access it but:
1) Doesn't this require a wifi network when I'm out and about?

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Wi-fi or mobile data can be used. But you can listen to tracks offline that are physically synced to your device.

2) If I use my cellular data (1GB a month allowance), am I not going to burn through this at warp speed?

If so, how and why has iCloud become so popular?

why use iCloud when you can use your phone's hard drive?

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iTunes Match and iCloud are different products. So I'll answer that from the iTunes Match perspective.
You'll use your data yes. But that's the intention. iTunes Match lets you access your iTunes music collection 'anywhere' without uploading or syncing. If you prefer to sync your music onto your phone to play offline then iTunes Match isn't the product for you.

3) When I bought a TV box set, I understand that this goes to the cloud automatically but it also is downloaded onto my hard drive. How do you get around the hard drive take-up issue? You'd run out of space super quickly! I was hoping to get rid of my DVDs and CDs but this seems impractical if I need a shed load of hard drive.

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If you're buying these on AppleTV - no hard drive - no space to occupy - they are just added a purchased on your account and you'll stream them each time you play them.

You 'can' download them into iTunes on your Mac/PC but you don't have to.

End of subscription
- I bought a years sub. What happens when this expires?

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You'll get an email from Apple giving you various options

Does everything on the cloud get deleted or does it get deactivated until you re-subsribe?
Also, what happens to the music pushed to the cloud that was not purchased through Apple? Do you lose that too?

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Everything in iTunes Match is just a pointer on your account to say steverusson owns this on his account. Nothing physical has been uploaded. What you will lose is the ability to stream or download tracks attached to your account when your on-the-go. Your music collection - iTunes purchased or not will still be physically on your Mac/PC as it always was.
iCloud itself my have uploaded files like iWork docs, photostream data etc. But this, so long as it doesn't exceed the free 5gb of iCloud space you have will remain. But either way you will have physical versions on your Mac/PC - iCloud and iTunes Match, and indeed most cloud syncing services just copy/replicate or reference your data not remove it from it's original location.

A huge thank you!

Dear Mr. Plow,

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain everything to me. It now males A LOT more sense and I'm starting to think that buying Apple TV was a good idea after all!

I'll have a look at my iMatch settings and see how I can get stuff off the cloud while I'm out and about and still have things on my phone.

A huge thank you again. You've no idea how helpful this has been.

Steve

iCloud = free.
iTunes Match = completely separate product, not mandatory, $25/year.