Apple's iCloud.com launches, but you're gonna need iOS 5 first

Apple’s iCloud.com page is now up and running, launching the Cupertino company’s new cloud-based offering. However, as it stands it’s a developers-only affair, as you’re going to need iOS 5 or Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 to sign up and make the most of it.

Apple are offering 5GB of free iCloud web storage for iTunes, Mail, Calendar, Photo Stream and Contacts files, which can then be accessed from a Mac, PC or any iOS 5 mobile device. If 5GB isn’t enough, you’ll be able to bump that up to 10GB, 20GB or 50GB for a yearly fee of £14, £28 or £70 respectively.

iTunes Match (the service which offers high-quality streams of your iTunes music direct from Apple’s servers), despite being available in the US, is however not yet ready for a UK release due to ongoing licensing issues.

Those waiting to give iCloud a try shouldn’t have long to wait, as the free iOS 5 update is expected to go on general release later today. Those with access only to a PC or Mac running versions of OS X Lion 10.7.1 will have to wait a little longer though, as the initial set-up requires an iOS 5 device or Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2. Once signed up however, iCloud can be accessed from a Windows PC.