Social posts urge incoming Apple CEO John Ternus to raise free iCloud storage

Apple users and developers used X on May 16 and May 17 to press incoming Chief Executive John Ternus on two specific complaints before he takes over Apple on September 1: the company’s 5 GB free iCloud tier and the state of its developer APIs and documentation. The posts did not come from Apple, but they pointed to issues that have trailed the company for years as more device backups, photos and app features depend on Apple’s cloud and software tools. Apple announced on April 20 that Ternus, now senior vice president of hardware engineering, will succeed Tim Cook as CEO at the start of September. Apple’s own support pages still list 5 GB as the free iCloud allotment, and its developer site says Feedback Assistant is the channel for requests on APIs, tools and documentation. ### What are people asking Ternus to change? Posts on X this week asked Ternus to make two concrete moves once he takes over: raise the amount of storage Apple gives away with iCloud and ask developers where Apple’s software stack is creating friction. The requests were framed as early wish lists for a new chief executive rather than responses to any new Apple policy. (apple.com) Apple has not announced any change to its free iCloud tier. Apple’s support and product pages say iCloud includes 5 GB of storage for free, with paid iCloud+ plans starting at 50 GB. ### Why does the 5 GB iCloud number keep coming up? Apple’s current support page says the company provides 5 GB of storage for free for photos, files, backups and other data. That figure matters because Apple also says that if a user runs out of iCloud storage, the device will not back up to iCloud and some syncing functions can stop working. (apple.com) The paid step-up starts at 50 GB for $0.99 a month in the United States, according to Apple’s pricing page. (support.apple.com) Higher tiers go to 200 GB, 2 TB, 6 TB and 12 TB. ### What do the developer complaints point to? Apple’s developer website says Feedback Assistant lets developers report bugs and request enhancements to APIs, tools and services, and it says feedback helps the company address issues, refine features and update documentation. (support.apple.com) That makes the social-media call for Ternus to survey developers notable mainly because Apple already runs a formal feedback channel for exactly those topics. Apple’s documentation portal also highlights sample code, tutorials and API reference materials, while a separate updates page tracks documentation changes and release notes. The complaint in the posts was not that Apple lacks a channel, but that developers want more direct attention to pain points in how those materials and interfaces work in practice. (developer.apple.com) ### What authority will Ternus have when he takes over? Apple said on April 20 that Ternus will become CEO effective September 1, 2026, in a board-approved succession plan. Tim Cook will remain CEO through the summer, then become executive chairman, while Ternus also joins Apple’s board on September 1. (developer.apple.com) John Ternus currently leads Apple’s hardware engineering organization, according to Apple’s leadership page, overseeing teams behind the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods and Vision Pro. Apple has not said publicly that he plans changes to iCloud pricing or to the company’s developer relations process. ### When could Apple address any of this publicly? (apple.com) WWDC26 is scheduled for June 8 through June 12 and Apple says the event will be online and free, with sessions on new tools, frameworks and features plus labs with Apple experts. That makes Apple’s annual developer conference the next obvious venue for any public discussion of APIs, documentation or developer workflow issues, even though Cook remains CEO until September. (apple.com) September 1, 2026 is the date Apple has set for Ternus to take over as chief executive. Until then, the company’s public materials still show 5 GB of free iCloud storage and direct developers to Feedback Assistant for API and documentation requests. (apple.com) (developer.apple.com)