Google Photos vs iPhotos

[Elbata]

I have the iPhone, love it, but there's one thing I don't like--the way Apple does their photos.

Here's what I mean: On the iPhone, iPad, iMac and whatever else, all the photos are synced--also to the cloud. What's great about it, is that wherever and whatever device is used, I can see any picture and it's also in the cloud.

Here's my rub: If a photo is deleted from any of the devices, it is deleted from all devices, including the cloud. So looking at it that way, I don't consider the cloud a backup storage system.

By Apple doing that, it's a given more storage space will have to purchased (by everyone). Multiply that by millions of phones, that can come out to billions/mo for Apple.

Google Photos truly allows free unlimited uploading to the cloud. If I choose under a 16M resolution photo, (which is more than enough), I have unlimited free storage!

Not trying to be a shrill for Google, but by using the Google Photo App on my iPhone, I just upload all my photos to the Google App, and then delete the photos in iPhone and iCloud freeing up much precious space.

I'm a neophyte when it comes to this stuff, so if I'm wrong in my assessment, or anyone has any instruction, I'd love to learn. Thanks.

 

[braumeister]

On the iPhone, iPad, iMac and whatever else, all the photos are synced--also to the cloud.

I don't have iCloud Photo Library turned on, so that automatic upload to the cloud never happens. My master photo file is on my laptop (which has multiple backups) and I simply upload the ones I want from my phone to my laptop. I decide which photos to sync to my phone (which is frankly most of them).

 

[Philliefan33]

I use Google Photos. I periodically upload from my iPhone and iPad, then delete from the device to save storage space.

For those with Amazon Prime, there is the option to use Prime Photos. Like Google Photos, it’s free photo storage.

I use both. That way, if either service starts charging will have the option to drop it and my photos will still be in the cloud on the other service. Of course, if they both decide to charge for the service I can go download my files and store on a hard drive.

 

[donheff]

I turned off iCloud photo library for the same reason as the OP. I use Google Photos and also keep a backup on Flickr. Google Photos compressed files (free, unlimited storage) are fine for me. I also backup the raw originals on my PC backup drive but I never actually use them for anything.

 

[joeea]

Not trying to be a shrill for Google, but by using the Google Photo App on my iPhone, I just upload all my photos to the Google App, and then delete the photos in iPhone and iCloud freeing up much precious space.

That's what I do as well.

 

[Chuckanut]

Unfortunately, Photos is another area where, IMHO, Apple has dropped the ball in regards to the Apple Ecosystem. Bit by bit it is being taken apart, thus destroying one of the best reasons to pay the 'Apple Tax'.

Like the OP, I do not want my photos to be dropped from the cloud just because they are deleted on my phone. Moreover, I find understanding how the photo system works to be difficult and I can easily see people deleting photos on their phone to get more space, and the being shocked to find they are no longer available in the cloud. Really Apple?

Like others I upload my photos to Google Photos and then delete them from my phone get get more space for new photos. I also have my photos taken with my real camera on my computer and the computer is backed up daily to a removable drive as well as an outside service.

I would never trust Apple, Google, Amazon or any other service to be the sole protector of my family photos.

 

[Jamie1101]

Google Photos for blogs

I really like Google photos. I like them even better now that I have learned how to use an app for 3rd party hosting. I used photobucket for years. Then a while back they stopped hosting photos to blogs unless you paid $400.00 a year for an enhanced account.

Good bye Photobucket.

This site performs the magic: https://ctrlq.org/google/photos/

 

[mpeirce]

When you delete a photo from in Apple Photos it gets placed in an Album called "Recently Deleted". It stays there for 30 days. (You can REALLY delete it by deleting it from the Recently Deleted Album if you want)

If you are storing your photos in iCloud, you probably want "Optimize Storage" enabled. With this on each device doesn't store your entire photo library. It keeps thumbnails of all your photos and only loads full resolution versions of photos if you are looking at that photo. If your phone is getting full, it'll removed the full resolution version of photos to reclaim space automatically.

What I do is keep a copy of my entire library on my iMac (it has plenty of space). This gets backed up by Time Machine to an external backup disk. On my iOS devices and MacBook I let it Optimize Storage for me.

I used to keep some photos on Google photos, but they "analyze" your photos that you upload on their servers. That is, their AIs look at them. This lets you search for things like "find pictures of lions".

Apple doesn't look at your photos that are stored in iCloud. Instead, each device looks at them by itself and analyzes them so you can do searches similar to Google Photos but Apple keeps that data local to your iPhone.

There is a huge difference between how Google and Apple approach privacy.

 

[tulak]

Here's my rub: If a photo is deleted from any of the devices, it is deleted from all devices, including the cloud. So looking at it that way, I don't consider the cloud a backup storage system.

By Apple doing that, it's a given more storage space will have to purchased (by everyone). Multiply that by millions of phones, that can come out to billions/mo for Apple.

For me, this is a benefit. I only want to have one collection of all my photos and after I delete a photo, I don’t want to see it again.

This is after years of hoarding photos, many of which I’ll never look at.

As for paying for more space, I’m ok with it. I get a discount by buying Apple gift cards and the few dollars a month doesn’t bother me for what I get. The extra space also allows me to fully back-up my iPhone/iPad to the cloud, which is another plus.

 

[Human]

If you are storing your photos in iCloud, you probably want "Optimize Storage" enabled. With this on each device doesn't store your entire photo library. It keeps thumbnails of all your photos and only loads full resolution versions of photos if you are looking at that photo. If your phone is getting full, it'll removed the full resolution version of photos to reclaim space automatically.

What I do is keep a copy of my entire library on my iMac (it has plenty of space). This gets backed up by Time Machine to an external backup disk. On my iOS devices and MacBook I let it Optimize Storage for me.

I used to keep some photos on Google photos, but they "analyze" your photos that you upload on their servers. That is, their AIs look at them. This lets you search for things like "find pictures of lions".

Apple doesn't look at your photos that are stored in iCloud. Instead, each device looks at them by itself and analyzes them so you can do searches similar to Google Photos but Apple keeps that data local to your iPhone.

There is a huge difference between how Google and Apple approach privacy.

THIS

 

[target2019]

When I set up an iPhone, I add gmail address, a few google apps, and have no problems with missing photos, or having to teach/learn new tricks.

 

[Katsmeow]

I do use iCloud. However, I do also keep the stream of my photos on my computer. Periodically I copy all of the photos to a separate location so I can delete anything I want to from iCloud and I will still have a copy on my computer.

 

[W2R]

I don't have iCloud Photo Library turned on, so that automatic upload to the cloud never happens. My master photo file is on my laptop (which has multiple backups) and I simply upload the ones I want from my phone to my laptop.[…]

+1

I have never kept photos or anything else in any cloud. I have no need for cloud storage.

I move photos from my phone to my laptop, and then store them on my laptop. Old paper photos were scanned in and they are also stored on my laptop.

All photos are very frequently backed up along with everything else I need to save, so I have multiple copies of photos on different devices in different locations.

I would never trust Apple, Google, Amazon or any other service to be the sole protector of my family photos.

+1

 

[Kwirk]

DW and I have iPhones. DW has an iPhone X which is just about ideal as a grandma phone with its good camera and large, bright screen. It fits well in a dedicated purse pocket. I have her old iPhone 7.

We don't use iCloud to backup photos. We use Plex to automatically copy photos to our Windows media center from which we can watch a slide show on the TV. We use OneDrive (1 TB/person included with Office 365 subscription) automatic upload for off-site backup.