iCloud vs. AWS: Apple Has Considered Competing With Amazon in Cloud
Apple in recent years has considered competing with Amazon Web Services (AWS), according to The Information's Aaron Tilley.
In a paywalled report today, Tilley said that Apple was actively discussing the idea into the first half of 2024, but he does not know whether the talks have continued. A supposed key backer of the idea, Michael Abbott, left Apple in 2023.
Apple's potential cloud service would allow developers to rent servers powered by the M-series chips used in Macs. A service like this allows developers to power cloud-based app features without purchasing and maintaining their own servers.
According to the report, some Apple executives believed that the power efficiency of M-series chips would make its cloud service more affordable for developers compared to AWS and other similar platforms. This belief is apparently backed by Apple's own use of the servers for the likes of Apple Music and Apple Wallet.
If such a service were ever to launch, perhaps it would have iCloud branding, and it would help to boost Apple's services revenue.
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