PCs get access to iCloud Drive before Macs

Apple has started rolling out its improved iCloud Drive feature with iOS 8 this week, providing a Dropbox-like file system for storing documents in the cloud. While Mac users will need to wait for OS X Yosemite to take advantage of iCloud Drive, Apple is letting Windows PC users upgrade early. An updated version of iCloud for Windows includes iCloud Drive support, enabling a folder within the Favorites section of the Windows File Explorer. It’s very similar to Dropbox and OneDrive, allowing iCloud users to view and edit data directly from the cloud storage service.

If you’re a Windows user with an iPhone then you’re clear to enable iCloud Drive, but if you use a mix of Windows, Mac, and iOS then it’s worth waiting for Yosemite. If you don't wait then you won’t be able to sync application data on a Mac until iCloud Drive is available with Yosemite. It’s an unusual move for Apple considering the company usually provides features to OS X first, but, as Ars Technica points out, iCloud for Windows is still less functional than its OS X equivalent. iCloud for Windows still lacks iCloud Keychain syncing, a Find My Device function, and an option to sync notes directly. If you’re interested in enabling iCloud Drive then Apple’s iCloud for Windows update is available immediately from the company’s support site.