Apple recently announced the launch of the iCloud service which
marks its most significant move into the world of cloud computing.
The iCloud service will be a free service allowing users to store
their photos, music or apps remotely and access them on any of
their Apple devices. Another key feature of the service will allow
users who buy music on the iTunes store, to listen to it on any of
their Apple devices without having to download it first to a
central PC.
The iCloud signals a major challenge to the dominance of
Apple's rivals in this area. Google, Amazon and Facebook have
all established themselves as major players in cloud computing
while Apple has fallen behind. It is envisaged that the iCloud will
integrate with its existing devices and therefore prove easier to
use than competitors' cloud offerings. Apple's control of
the cloud service as well as the devices on which they will be
accessed put the company at a major comparative advantage.
