Apple rumored to lean on Google Cloud Platform for certain iCloud services [u]
Apple could soon ditch Amazon Web Services in favor of Google Cloud Platform to serve a portion of iCloud's data needs, a shift that would be a major notch in Google's belt as the company builds out its cloud product.
The potential shift was reported to Twitter on Wednesday by The Information's Amir Efrati, who said Apple's move to Google Cloud could take a year and, like the current Apple tie up with Amazon Web Services, is unlikely to be a money maker for the Internet search giant. Alongside its own iCloud data centers, Apple relies on key third-party providers in servicing a worldwide customer base of more than 782 million users.
A report from CRN earlier in the day cited sources as saying Apple recently signed on with Google ahead of its departure from AWS in a deal worth $400 million to $600 million.
Lending credence to Efrati's report are backend changes to the way OS X Messages handles attachments. AppleInsider discovered Mac's IMTransferAgent routing certain outbound data requests through Google's servers in Asia, as seen in the screenshot above.
"It's kind of a puzzler to us because vendors who understand doing business with enterprises respect NDAs with their customers and don't imply competitive defection where it doesn't exist," an AWS spokesperson told AppleInsider.
Earlier this year, industry watchers predicted Apple to draw down its reliance on AWS in favor of an in-house solution, speculating the move would take about two years to complete. During a recent investor conference call, Apple CFO Luca Maestri stressed the importance of fiscally responsible data center operations in light of a quickly expanding iCloud user base.
"Then we've got data centers," Maestri said. "And data centers is a growing expenditure for us, because as we mentioned in our prepared remarks, our install base of customers and devices is growing, and it's growing very significantly. And the data center capacity that we put in place is to provide the services that are tied to the install base."
While mere speculation, Apple could be looking for temporary solution as it weens off AWS. The company currently has plans to build three data centers scheduled to open over the next two years, including a $2 billion "global command center" located at the failed sapphire production plant in Mesa, Ariz. Two more facilities are slated to open in Ireland and Denmark for European customers.
Update: A report from CRN claims Apple has already inked a deal with Google worth $400 million to $600 million.
Update 2: Article updated with response from Amazon.
The potential shift was reported to Twitter on Wednesday by The Information's Amir Efrati, who said Apple's move to Google Cloud could take a year and, like the current Apple tie up with Amazon Web Services, is unlikely to be a money maker for the Internet search giant. Alongside its own iCloud data centers, Apple relies on key third-party providers in servicing a worldwide customer base of more than 782 million users.
A report from CRN earlier in the day cited sources as saying Apple recently signed on with Google ahead of its departure from AWS in a deal worth $400 million to $600 million.
Lending credence to Efrati's report are backend changes to the way OS X Messages handles attachments. AppleInsider discovered Mac's IMTransferAgent routing certain outbound data requests through Google's servers in Asia, as seen in the screenshot above.
"It's kind of a puzzler to us because vendors who understand doing business with enterprises respect NDAs with their customers and don't imply competitive defection where it doesn't exist," an AWS spokesperson told AppleInsider.
Earlier this year, industry watchers predicted Apple to draw down its reliance on AWS in favor of an in-house solution, speculating the move would take about two years to complete. During a recent investor conference call, Apple CFO Luca Maestri stressed the importance of fiscally responsible data center operations in light of a quickly expanding iCloud user base.
"Then we've got data centers," Maestri said. "And data centers is a growing expenditure for us, because as we mentioned in our prepared remarks, our install base of customers and devices is growing, and it's growing very significantly. And the data center capacity that we put in place is to provide the services that are tied to the install base."
While mere speculation, Apple could be looking for temporary solution as it weens off AWS. The company currently has plans to build three data centers scheduled to open over the next two years, including a $2 billion "global command center" located at the failed sapphire production plant in Mesa, Ariz. Two more facilities are slated to open in Ireland and Denmark for European customers.
Update: A report from CRN claims Apple has already inked a deal with Google worth $400 million to $600 million.
Update 2: Article updated with response from Amazon.
Comments
Once that hat is done, all the encryption and security I trust Apple with is defeated by virtue of Google hosting my data.
Once Google has it, it's already stolen.
Maybe be this is Apples way of giving Obama what he wants without having to admit it.
Agreed 9secondkox2. iMessage for one employs end to end encryption.
All your iOS data is encrypted to an extremely high standard* and there's no reason not to store well encrypted data on cheap, high availability storage from people who specialise in it, as Google do.
*nothing is uncrackable, nothing. Just an FYI to all the paranoid people out there. Enough computers with enough time can crack anything.
It also is be easier to enable access
to iCloud in locations where Google already have agreements for data to pass through their servers.
I think your question is like asking why Apple contracts out their manufacturing to Foxconn et al... They are the best at what they do at the best price and the best scalability.
"iCloud for business" let companies host their own data in house and provide much of the processing power their own users need.
Are Apple employees even using their own products? The basic problems are now measured in years
As an aside, moving to Google provides Apple with excellent migration skills for when they eventually serve all of their own data.
There wouldn't be any specific concerns about data privacy as google would not have access to the keys, in the same way that China doesn't. Apple will likely continue to provide the data to law enforcement under a warrant, however after this duel with the FBI, Apple might prioritise closing off that avenue too.
One particular annoying bug is it tells me it can't open a file (Numbers) in Safari on iCloud.com. And, to make a duplicate so it can. Bizarre
This by no means Apple could not adopt. It is only a small obstacles. But being Apple they will less likely to use their main competitors infrastructure.
I bet google is giving Apple some major discount. Since Apple are building their own DC and running their own infrastructure, network and CDN. They know full well the cost of running it, if it is MUCH cheaper then doing it themselves, why not? ( i.e Google are not earning money with the deal )
I am sure Apple will continue to do business with Samsung and Google as long as they dont earn a dime from it.
But in the end Apple still needs to build their own DC as fast as possible.