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gadget123

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 17, 2011
2,303
312
United Kingdom
So I lost all my iPhone stuff when my iPhone was stolen and my computer takes hours to back up. Why don’t Apple offer more cloud back up? 5GB is a con and doesn’t back anything up. Can you pay for cloud storage with iTunes credit?
 

FreakinEurekan

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
6,002
2,972
You can pay for iCloud storage using Apple ID balance, however you need a credit card on file also in case the balance drops below the subscription price.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,015
27,302
So I lost all my iPhone stuff when my iPhone was stolen and my computer takes hours to back up. Why don’t Apple offer more cloud back up? 5GB is a con and doesn’t back anything up. Can you pay for cloud storage with iTunes credit?
Don't store all your eggs in one basket.

Me…

Email - IMAP. Accessible via web browser or any device. Not stored on my device.
Photos/Videos - Dropbox. Automatic upload of pics taken on iPhone. Goes to every device I have that has Dropbox running and can be accessible via web.
Texts/iMessages - anything important is copied off the device. This is the one thing I don't care about because I do not conduct sensitive conversations via text, I do it in person face to face.
Documents - I don't use my device as a computer. Documents are stored on my Macs, PCs or on my two NAS devices.

All my computers have a backup scheme that includes the Dropbox folder, and periodically I drop all the photos in the Dropbox Camera Uploads folder into a folder on my NAS for backup. So, all my iPhone photos are backed up. I can get to pictures taken in 2009 with my old HTC Touch Pro.

I do pay Apple for a 2TB iCloud sub, but that's for convenience only. I don't rely on it.
 
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Iwavvns

macrumors 6502a
Dec 11, 2023
529
651
Earth
So I lost all my iPhone stuff when my iPhone was stolen and my computer takes hours to back up.
The good news is you’ve just identified a weakness in your life. Now you are at a crossroads; will you continue as you have been.. or will you make changes in your life so this never happens again?
 

WarmWinterHat

macrumors regular
Jun 24, 2024
235
760
So I lost all my iPhone stuff when my iPhone was stolen and my computer takes hours to back up. Why don’t Apple offer more cloud back up? 5GB is a con and doesn’t back anything up. Can you pay for cloud storage with iTunes credit?

Computer backups don't take hours, but even if they did, plug it in and go to bed. The first time it backs up, it will take a while (30 mins or so) but each subsequent backup is quick. My iCloud backup is 890mb. Fits just fine on the free tier. I don't trust either, so I backup locally and the cloud.

No one can be blamed for your lack of backups except yourself. If you know how to backup, you should be backing up.

All that said, it sucks to hear about your phone and data. 😢
 
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BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,935
8,791
Arizona/Illinois
You can pay for iCloud storage using Apple ID balance, however you need a credit card on file also in case the balance drops below the subscription price.
I've been paying for iCloud storage, AppleCare+ monthly and iTunes purchases using Apple gift cards loaded to my account for years. I have never had credit card on file..
 

Bichon

macrumors 6502
Oct 17, 2019
254
408
I've been paying for iCloud storage, AppleCare+ monthly and iTunes purchases using Apple gift cards loaded to my account for years. I have never had credit card on file..
Is there a benefit to paying this way? Credit cards have protection from loss and fraud, I can do a chargeback if goods/services I paid for are not delivered, and I get 2% cash back on my purchases too.
 

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,935
8,791
Arizona/Illinois
Is there a benefit to paying this way? Credit cards have protection from loss and fraud, I can do a chargeback if goods/services I paid for are not delivered, and I get 2% cash back on my purchases too.
No benefit really. I only keep $50 in the account at a time. $4 a month to extend AppleCare+ on my watch and $1 a month for iCloud. Every once in awhile I'll buy a movie or music..
 

NoBoMac

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 1, 2014
6,011
4,627
Is there a benefit to paying this way?

Not on the Apple end, but with gift cards, can get the 2-4x time fuel points if buying from your grocery store. And with correct card, can get the higher "grocery store" categorized cash back (the ~6% for many cards).

Re: having card on file, seem to recall that when you first create the Apple ID, need a payment method valid for the region you want to create for. Once the account is good to go, can remove the payment method.
 
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