You are here

Apple Mulling a launch to the Cloud Computing Space

Apple

Apple plans to focus on streamlining and expanding its software and cloud-based services such as iCloud, Apple Music, News Plus, etc. along with the production of iPhones, iPads, and Macbooks.

However, to ensure that these cloud-based services run across Apple’s 1.5 billion active devices efficiently, Apple is reliant on its cloud division as well as on Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon that offers cloud computing solutions. As a matter of fact, CNBC reckoned that Apple pays $30 million monthly to Amazon’s cloud division and is one of the biggest customers of AWS. However, the company has never disclosed if it uses AWS for service offerings other than iCloud. The company also has some of its cloud services on Google Cloud.

Amazon launched AWS and revolutionized how data centers are managed and applications are hosted. With a clear first-mover advantage, AWS holds the topmost rank in the cloud hosting world. Since then, Microsoft Azure and more recently Google Cloud have started to increase their footprint in the cloud computing space.

Apparently, Apple understands the importance of a top-class cloud infrastructure needed for offering seamless customer experience for its products. Like other tech giants, Apple also has its own cloud computing team called the Apple Cloud Infrastructure (ACI) team that builds and provides systems that fuel Apple’s own services (such as iCloud, iTunes, Siri, Maps).

Apple might be working on enhancing its Cloud Computing infrastructure to facilitate the needs of its applications such as App Store, iCloud, iTunes, Apple Music, etc. Once it reaches a sophisticated level of infrastructure, it may open up its service to other companies too, just like Amazon did after completely building the AWS foundation internally. When the time comes, we can compare the journey of both the tech giants entering into the cloud computing space, although at different times.

When Apple moved some of its cloud services from AWS to Google Cloud, tech enthusiasts predicted that the company was comparing the services to select the better service provider. Having said that, there have been recent activities that clearly depict that Apple is preparing to join the cloud computing bandwagon to put an end to its issues forever.

What Is Project Pie?

Apple has always been focused on offering the best user experience. However, the company has received a lot of criticism from millions of users across the world in the past few years.

The constant comments for slow performance, leaked photos, comparisons with other applications, App Store outages, etc. are affecting the image of a brand that focused on user experience more than anything else. It makes complete sense that it might need its own cloud infrastructure more than anything to maintain its brand reputation.

It was found that the company might be working secretly on its cloud service solution that has a codename: Pie. In 2016, when Apple tried to bring together its Siri, iCloud, and Maps teams under one roof. It was obvious that they were taking restructuring actions for better provision of cloud services. In 2018, the company revealed its investment plans in the data center construction space. The following year, Apple joined the Cloud Native Computing Foundation which hosts Kubernetes and containers.

Since the beginning of 2020, Apple has been hiring profusely in the cloud Infrastructure space in the last few months, based on the job openings published by them. Apparently, they are carrying Steve Jobs’ legacy by implementing the philosophy of hiring the best talent to create revolutionary solutions. Apple has had a history of attracting targeted engineering talent to augment its efforts in selected fields. It seems like it is doing the same in the cloud computing field now.

It has been a while and Apple has not disrupted the cloud computing space. Looking at all these advancements, we can connect the dots to reckon that the company might be set to change the cloud-computing game.

Related posts

Leave a Comment