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The promise of cloud computing is simple. Platforms don’t matter, and accessing your data is seamless experience from any Internet connective device with a modern browser. These values are usually considered sacred when setting out to create a new cloud service, but apparently Apple didn’t get the memo.
According to the companies recent press release: “Using iCloud with a PC requires Windows Vista or Windows 7; Outlook 2010 or 2007 is recommended for accessing contacts and calendars.”
The reason for Windows XP getting the snub isn’t immediately apparent, but it does suggest that Apple might be slowly dropping support for Microsoft’s now ten-year-old OS in upcoming versions of iTunes and Safari. iTunes 10.3 still lists Windows XP as supported, but this may not be the version number come fall when iOS 5 & iCloud officially release.
Apple only supports it’s own operating systems for a period of four years, so while the move isn’t totally unexpected, it is somewhat troubling. Since the vast majority of iOS users are actually Windows customers, this could start cutting off a disproportionally large percentage of their clients from future updates.
Comments are closed on this article
Engelsstaub
June 14, 2011 at 12:15am
I'm thinking of having "I used XPt to the end! F__k Vista, 7, and OSX." enscribed on my tombstone. This sort of shit really matters, after all. When we're not busy busting the chops of Mac users, we'll just crap all over "our own" by dogging them for which Windows OS makes me a freaking hero to behold.
Hammerheads.
fbales
June 13, 2011 at 2:40pm
And I care why? I'm still using XP, and nothing Apple does will change that.
Holly Golightly
June 12, 2011 at 10:13pm
This does seem like a bad move since a majority of windows users are exclusively using Windows XP. A majority of their users are Windows users... So my question is how much did they cut off their own market by? Anyways, I will stick with my Zune HD.
Baer
June 12, 2011 at 6:48pm
Meh, so what, there is no way I would let iTunes and it's resorce robbing Bonjour service anyway near my PC's.
Gezzer
June 13, 2011 at 12:49am
I'm with you. I've never touched an Apple product. Too afraid it might do it's voodoo on me and I'll become another of the walking dead (brained) following the iParty line. ;oD
As for anyone complaining about Quicktime, there are codecs for both QT and Realplayer you can get so you don't need their bloat wear.
Now as for XP being friendlier to the foil hat crowd. It's the same story someone tried to sell me when I was going from 98se to XP. He even said he had a program that would "help" prevent XP from reporting home. Didn't buy into it, but someone else did. Six months later I'm helping the convert clean out a nasty trojan that came from where? You guessed it, the same program that would help mask XP.
ROTFLMAO. Some people.... some people.
Eoraptor
June 12, 2011 at 7:16pm
Agreed. why the h - e - double hockey sticks should a media player need to sink it claws up to the elbows into my OS anyway?
simplymortified
June 12, 2011 at 6:47pm
Everyone (including this writer) refers to Windows XP as '10 years old'. While yes, the initial release was 10 years ago, there has been 3 service packs (the last in 2008) since then, which improved the OS significantly. Ignoring updates, OSX is also 10 years old. XP still works fine for a lot of people.
kurtgreenwood
July 15, 2011 at 10:36am
This is really silly on Apple's part. Forcing people into the newest and "bestest" technology is getting annoying. Luckily, there are plenty of other online storage companies to choose some, some far better than others in security and reliability. Just because Apple put an "i" in front of their brand's attempt at old technology doesn't make it essential, or even necessary.
tornato7
June 12, 2011 at 5:34pm
Most of these comments are too long or lame. I'd just like to point out that even though XP is old, it's not obsolete. Windows 7 is better though
Hamburger
June 12, 2011 at 3:51pm
Apple sucks in that they do not listen to what their customers what and bascially tell them what they want. i.e. IPAD. They aren't the only company like this, though. A lot are.
grieserl
June 12, 2011 at 12:49pm
The way I see it, anyone still using XP isn't exactly a power user, or doesn't care about having secure, up to date software anyway. The vast majority of people still using XP don't have the tech know how to update their devices or software anyway, so apple really isn't hurting itself or that many of its users.
Bullwinkle J Moose
June 12, 2011 at 1:54pm
The way I see it, anyone not using "Illegal" copies of XP, deserves the spyware embedded into Vista and Windows 7
After all, Windows 7 users are not what we call "Power Users"
They prefer to take Microsoft at its word and update their spyware on a regular basis instead of reading the tech news that has repeatedly reported how Microsoft actually stole the software needed to prevent end users from using their OS as they see fit
TheQ
June 12, 2011 at 4:31pm
Windows 7 and Vista are full of bloat anyway. Who really wants to crap up their system with an extra few dozen processes? Funny how people who have several thousand dollars into their rigs are not "power users." The vast majority of people using Vista and 7 are uneducated, and dont have XP because they dont know better.
I smell Mac Sheeples in here.
Bullwinkle J Moose
June 12, 2011 at 12:15pm
Copies of XP that do not include Microsofts Illegally obtained copy protection cannot be used against you
Only copies of Windows that contain the copy protection software that Microsoft stole from other developers contains the means to tie a specific copy of Windows to a specific USER (YOU)!
Any copies of Windows that cannot be used to spy on the end users have been labelled "Illegal" by Microsoft
All versions of Windows after XP contain copy protection mechanisms and other hidden spyware that track your every move on the Internet
This Global Spyware Operation is currently being moved to hardware and baked into the products you buy
THAT is why every new tablet requires an Internet connection
The public will not be allowed to use their devices in the manner that THEY see fit
It would be a simple task to make a tablet using a reletively low power CPU to control your desktop wirelessly and have the full power of your desktop on your tablet yet the greedy Corporations cannot profit from additional connection fee's if you were to connect to the Internet from your desktop and stream the desktop to your tablet
They also cannot sell you incrementally more powerful tablets year after year if you can simply stream your video games to your low powered tablet from your desktop
Banning XP from the Cloud has nothing to do with supporting an outdated operating system
It has everything to do with limiting end users ability to use the Internet without being spyed on and tracing specific copies of your O.S. to YOU personally
anc51699
June 12, 2011 at 1:39pm
Wow. Someone OD'd on their crazy pills before trolling on the comments today.
Bullwinkle J Moose
June 12, 2011 at 2:37pm
You do not now have (or ever will) evidence to refute my claims!
Attacking the messenger is the best you can do?
Wow
Just...Wow
JohnyC
June 12, 2011 at 7:07pm
lmao... I cannot believe you just challenged someone to prove a negative. Wow indeed.
Bullwinkle J Moose
June 12, 2011 at 11:46pm
Naw
I've proved my claims in several past posts under this and other user names
If anyone really needed evidence for or against my claims, they would learn to use google
Most power users do...
In the last 3 years I've wasted providing evidence of spyware in Windows, not a single person has verified my data or even provided evidence to the contrary
Its so much easier for these losers to resort to name calling rather than do some actual work like a power user might
If you really need evidence, try reading my older posts
I'm not wasting any more time on these losers
anc51699
June 12, 2011 at 8:06pm
Where is your evidence to support your claims?
BTW, make sure your foil hat is on tight, because the satellites are watching you. And only you.
tempster
June 13, 2011 at 1:22pm
Funny how a coworker just told me he hasn't decided yet on whether to get the Motorola Xoom with or without 3G. And if you are going to come back with well it has Wi-Fi just shutup.
Neufeldt2002
June 12, 2011 at 12:01pm
This will do one of two things. It will either have people looking for an alternative to itunes (which is good IMO), or, more people will be running outdated software that is full of holes. I vote for the latter, because the majority of people using XP could care less about keeping software up to date. Talking about non corporate users, yes, there are those that do care but only want to stick to XP, but they will search for an alternative.
Bullwinkle J Moose
June 12, 2011 at 12:27pm
It is the Software companies that create the problems in their software to make you upgrade endlessly through scare tactics
For example;
If you were to create a portable version of quicktime with (for example) Thinstall, the application would run perfectly fine on any computer that is not connected to the Internet
But once you try to run that application on an Internet connected computer, suddenly there are files missing and the application won't run
Put it back on a Non-Internet computer and it runs just fine
The idea here is to track everything you do and regulate everything you do (ILLEGALLY)
Corporation take the view that if THEY cannot Illegally track everything YOU do, then YOU must be breaking the Laws that only THEY will benefit from
Thinstall was supposed to make applications portable but in the process, the Corporations realized that THEY would not be in control of those applications or how you use them
Eoraptor
June 12, 2011 at 11:37am
So... "let's just snub up to half the world's PC using clientele on general principle becase we want profits and spending money to develop for another platform takes a few pennies of that away:
yyyyyyyyyyyeah... I don't see a reason XP couldn't "Do" iCloud, either. I mean, aren't we just talking about what they do every day on youtube anyway to an extent?
Or Apple is deluded enough to think that this boneheaded move will drive sales of Mac.
