Amazon Cloud Storage Overview

Amazon Cloud Storage 

Introduction

Amazon Cloud Storage is a cloud storage solution developed, managed, and controlled by Amazon, Inc. The solution was built to provide users with multiple digital services including but not limited to cloud storage, computing, photo printing, file sharing, file backup, et cetera. Amazon Cloud Storage allows its users the avenue to access the solution through transfer of files and photos using several devices like smartphones, personal computers, desktops, tablets, web applications, and browsers, amongst others. Some certain users have the leverage to leverage the printing services of the cloud storage to request physical printable photos using their verified accounts created on the Amazon platform. Over the years, the numerous features and services offered by Amazon Cloud Storage have continued to impact the digital market niche positively as well as giving its users access to more advanced cloud storage features which are less likely offered by solutions offer the same services. 

This article, however, tends to reveal a comprehensive, and extensive review of the solution. The kickoff will begin with the solution’s key statistics and it will flow to all aspects, including its recent history and evolution background, its product listings and features, its compatibility, as well as its pros and cons. All of these will be concisely covered to enable you to understand the significant and major elements of one of the world’s most efficient file-sharing solutions as quickly as possible.    

Key Statistics 

Founding Date: Amazon Cloud Storage was launched by Amazon, Inc on May 29th  the year 2011 which is approximately 11 years ago.   

Ranking and Reliability:  Amazon Cloud Storage according to research is ranked and rated by several web ranking solutions. Typically, Amazon Cloud Storage has a review of 4.3 out of 5 points on G2.com, 3.7 out of 5 points on Cloudways as well as 8.1 out of 10 points on TraustRadius for its overall performance and features.  

Startup Type: A business Division under the parent company, Amazon.com, Inc. 

Headquarters: Amazon Cloud Storage is headquartered in North America, United States.         

Market Reach:  Amazon Cloud Storage operates internationally. It operates and serves more than 10 major countries across the world including but not limited to, the United States, Spain, Germany, Japan, France, The People’s Republic of China, Brazil Canada, as well as the United Kingdom. Additionally, it is an open-source digital platform, as a result, it is available to use by all interested users globally.  

Evolution 

In the year 2011 when Amazon Cloud Storage was launched, it was offering its users who are in need of cloud storage to have access to the service using the needy-based (pas-as-you-need) method. This service typically allows users to make payment only for the storage they consume on the platform while setting the limit as high as up to 1 terabyte plan. 

A couple of years after Amazon Cloud Storage was launched, Amazon stepped up the game by introducing an Unlimited Storage Plan in the year 2015, March. The plan was specifically targeted at users who are using the platform for personal filing purposes. With the Unlimited Storage Plan, users can have access to a free trial of up to 3 months in order to test-run the service before going ahead to subscribe. 

In the same year, 2015, the Unlimited Plan Storage became popular when Amazon offered as high as up to 92% discounted price to prospective users willing to opt for the service in a Black Friday promotion. The offering consequently dropped the price of the storage plan from $60 USD  to a relatively ridiculous as low as $5 USD. 

In September, the year 2016, Amazon introduced an improved feature made on the platform, tagged with the name, Amazon Prints in the U.S. With this feature, users can edit their uploaded pictures and can request physical printed copies.    

However, in the year 2017, June, the price of the Unlimited Storage Plan was reverted back to its normal pricing for users in the United States, and on the 15th of November, 2017, the price for the Unlimited Storage Plan was reverted to its Canadian users. 

As of now, Amazon Cloud Storage currently avails its users of free unlimited photo cloud storage via three means. Users can have access to this service either through a device known as the Fire Tablet, through Amazon Prime subscription, or through a paid limited storage service; either way, they tend to have seamless access to the service.   

On the 29th of July, 2022, Amazon made the announcement through a press release that it would discontinue the services offered by Amazon Cloud Storage. The discontinuance date was slated to take effect on the 31st of December, 2023, noting that another solution already launched by the same company and which is also widely used by customers offers virtually the same service.   

Features 

Typically, Amazon Cloud Storage offers is built with multiple features tailored for users to leverage and access. In this section, however, major features offered by the solution would be briefly addressed for the sake of brevity.

Supported in Multiple Languages:  

Since the service is being offered across all Amazon Places serving in different major countries, therefore, the solution is built to support multiple languages including but not limited to, English, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, and Chinese, amongst others.   

Offers Amazon Printing Services 

Users of the solution leverage the Amazon Printing feature of the platform to request custom edited photos and pictures in physical copies.

Allows Digital Media Players 

The Amazon Cloud Storage is designed with Amazon Video as well as Amazon Fire Tv which lets users have access to browse, organize, and arrange their uploaded documents on large Smart Television screens.

Multiple File Uploads: 

 Amazon Cloud Storage allows users to easily upload as many files as possible at a go. Files like images and videos can be uploaded by simply doing the easiest task as “drag and drop” in the group from your device gallery to the platform without having to move or transfer them individually.  

Multiple Devices Compatibility: 

Amazon Cloud Storage is compatible with multiple devices as a result, users can access the solution services on several devices such as smartphones, personal computers, desktops, tablets, web applications and browsers, et cetera. 

Security and Encryption: Amazon Cloud Storage is a highly secured cloud storage platform that ensures maximum protection, compliance, and encryption of all data stored in its database. It uses several advanced security tools to ensure the protection and compliance of all uploaded files and data on its platform against unauthorized access.  

Plans 

Amazon Cloud Storage generally offers two plans which include Amazon Prime Photo and a 5 GB Free plan 

Amazon Prime Photo or 100 GB storage plan 

Price: $19.99 USD per year/ 

Features: 

Offers unlimited photo and raw files storage 

Offers 5 GB storage for videos 

Allows upload via multiple devices 

Photos are only available for non-business (personal) use 

Allows upload of high-definition as well as raw file photos 

5 GB Free Plan 

Price: Free forever 

Features: 

Limited to 5 GB data storage 

Accessible to limited countries 

No expansion plan for countries like Brazil, India, and China  

Pros and Cons 

A critical review of Amazon Cloud Storage includes the following pros and cons of the software.  

Pros include 

When customers sign up to have access to the Amazon Cloud Drive, they eligible to get up to 5GB of free storage shared with Amazon Photos. With this, they have the leverage to organize, save, share, as well as access all their uploaded files and documents using their most preferred device  

The platform has a good web interface that standardized its user experience   

Amazon Cloud Storage is backed into Amazon devices 

It allows automatic backup for mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones 

Users who opted for Amazon Prime subscription have access to unlimited space for photos  

Cons include: 

The solution does not allow syncing of files 

Users can only share files, does not allow sharing of folders 

No file versioning and backup schedule 

The desktop version has limited features and updates 

Conclusion 

Amazon Cloud Storage as you might have observed in the above-detailed sections is a cloud storage service for data with a more focus on images that operates in a different way when compared to its similar contenders such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Box (Personal), Dropbox, SugarSync, et cetera. Although the software when compared with these tools has relatively low industry experience, since it was officially launched in the year 2011, nonetheless, the tools and services built into this software make it more advanced than its competitors. That said, from the sections above, you have been comprehensively shown all there is to know about Amazon Cloud Storage which includes areas such as the software application’s statistics, its evolution, its key features, its plans, and price lists, as well as its pros and cons, as a result, I hope this article has been able to meet your expectation as stated in the introductory portion of this content.