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Apple Bought iCloud.net and Shut Down a Social Network

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
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By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
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February 22, 2017, 1:03 PM ET

Apple has quietly acquired a web domain and shuttered the social network that used it, according to a new report.

The tech giant acquired iCloud.net from an Asian social network for an undisclosed amount, TechCrunch reports, citing developers at the social network. While it’s unclear exactly when Apple acquired the web address, iCloud.net told its users in recent weeks that it would close its service this week and destroy all of its user data by March 1.

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The iCloud.net domain was one of the few iCloud-related domains that Apple didn’t control. In 2011, Apple introduced its similarly named iCloud service, accessible from iCloud.com, that lets users sync and store things like photos and documents.

Apple acquired the iCloud.com domain that it’s currently using in 2011 for a reported $5.2 million from Swedish software developer Xcerion. That company ultimately changed its cloud service’s name to CloudMe.

However, iCloud.net was conspicuously missing from Apple’s library of iCloud domains, leaving the door open to confusion by some users. Apple users who accidentally went to the iCloud.net domain would get the Asian social network, which let users share photos, videos, and their activities, rather than Apple’s storage service.

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It’s unclear what Apple (AAPL) has planned for iCloud.net. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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By Don Reisinger
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