Actually there is likely something new here

Cult of Mac reported "a reliable source" has told them the updated Time Capsule will be integrated with the cloud service, so you can keep your data stored locally and the Apple cloud servers to all the service connection. So it seems Apple are making a "keep full ownership of your data" play.

If they are indeed doing this, as a philosophy this will stand in stark contrast to Google, who have built the ability to see into your documents and review their fundamental structure into the way Google Docs works. Why? because they want to process your content to target ads at you. Personally I feel there are serious privacy and ethical concerns about this approach.

Google are essentially pushing the concept of the thin client, which has been a perfectly feasible technical possibility for years. But the customer didn't ever previously bite, primarily due to the unease we have with the rental model, that is built into the human psyche.

There's no doubt thought that Google have done more than anyone else to date though. And also running a system where the customer doesn't feel the pain of the cost of their service (e.g. being advertising driven), means they may well win out where others failed (IBM, Oracle to name two).

So this is something of a fundamental battle of computing philosophy.

Google, who say "you can have cake for free," just give me sight of your data and trust us, or Apple who say "we will charge you a healthy price but you retain control."

Personally I prefer the latter. I feel I can trust the model more. The fair exchange of money for a product or service a company has built to be the best value it can achieve appeals to me. But many will feel differently. I've said it before in these comments, but I feel both Apple and Google are perfectly sincere in their philosophical differences.

Things are set to get very interesting indeed.

even as a Macbook and iPad owner

I don't feel the need for this type of hard disk. It can't replace my VDSL/WiFI/GBE router and it is not as secure as a WD sharespace 4TB for 100 Euros less. Smaller and quieter but with only one disk unusable for backups.