During the long concluded WWDC 2021, Apple unveiled iCloud+ with additional features such as the iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, and advanced HomeKit Secure Video support. The service, which will come at no extra cost to paid iCloud users in Q3 2021, will add new layers of privacy and security to the cloud computing and storage service.
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Private Relay: This is a new VPN-like feature built into the iCloud for the Safari browser. It lets users connect securely and browse the web in a more private manner. Private Relay ensures that all the requests leaving Safari are sent through two different internet relays. The first assigns the user an anonymous IP within their region while the second decrypts and forward the user to the web address. Apple and the user’s network provider does not have access to this information.
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Hide My Email: Accessible via Safari, iCloud settings and Mail, Hide My Email allows users generate, share, and delete unique, random iCloud email addresses to keep personal email addresses private. These emails forward to the user’s email account and as expected serve as a spam protection shield.
Advanced HomeKit Secure Video Support: Apple has expanded the built-in support for HomeKit Secure Video with connection to more cameras using the Home app and the ‘end-to-end encrypted’ home security video footage from the cameras will no longer count towards the total iCloud storage capacity. Activities detected by the cameras will be analysed and encrypted on the device before being stored on the iCloud.
iCloud+ Pricing Plans
| Pricing Per Month | iCloud+ Features | |
| 5GB | Free | – |
| 50GB | US$ 0.99/AU$ 1.49 | Private Relay, Hide My Email, 1x HomeKit Secure Video camera |
| 200GB | US$ 2.99/AU$ 4.49 | Private Relay, Hide My Email, 5x HomeKit Secure Video cameras |
| 2TB | US$ 9.99/AU$ 14.99 | Private Relay, Hide My Email, Unlimited HomeKit Secure Video cameras |