UPDATE 9:45 EST: Apple updates status page to confirm that all services are back to normal.
In yet another service glitch for Apple devices, iPhone and iPad users worldwide are reporting Apple iCloud service slowdowns and full outages since early Thursday morning. Of note, Apple’s System Status webpage is still showing ongoing interruptions to various services as of 8:00 AM.
Apple says the network problems first began at around 12:30 a.m. ET, and the system status webpage notes, “Users may experience slower than normal response when using most iCloud services.”
No reason for the ongoing service outage has been provided by the company to date.
Impacted Apple iCloud services
According to multiple media sources, Apple services that are impacted by the slowdown on Thursday include:
- iCloud Backup
- iCloud Drive
- iWork for iCloud beta
- Back to My Mac
- iCloud Keychain
- iCloud Mail
- Documents in the Cloud
- Photos
- Find My iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac
- iMovie Theater
- iCloud Account & Sign In
Recent Apple service outages
The Apple service network has been dogged with problems on a number of occasions recently. For example, just last week, the iCloud network was hit with a serious bug where the Find My iPhone app was showing devices that belonged to other people. Moreover, the App Store and iTunes Stores were hit by a major outage last month, and Apple’s log in services were also down for a short while back in March.
Apple Watch needs “killer apps” to become big hit
On a related topic, analysts are reporting that the recent, much-ballyhooed launch of the Apple Watch is not a huge success. The iPhone maker’s new smartwatch is not flying off the shelves just yet, but it can take some time for a new product to soak into the public consciousness. Several tech industry analysts have noted that it may take the development of a few “killer apps” before sales hit critical mass.
Positive reviews of the Apple Watch have mentioned having the time and temperature easily available on your wrist and being able to see text messages without a phone. The general consensus is that Apple Pay is “fun”, but it can be difficult to position the watch to use the feature.
