With each passing quarter, Public cloud providers (Amazon, Azure, and Google) are setting new records, while cloud computing has become the daily driver of our lives. It has the potential to become an even bigger part of an individuals’ life.

The cloud’s increasing popularity has coincided with that of 4G broadband technology and smartphones. The combined power of the network and servers makes it possible for us to listen to music, watch videos, work remotely, post on social media, or ask for a ride and watch it arrive on a smartphone map in real-time.

Companies and individuals can rent not only cloud-based storage, but also power processing, Internet services, and software; all of them are located in large data centers.

Nowadays, Public cloud vendor offers separate cloud services for video games that require a massive amount of data, zero latency, and high processing to enhance the gaming experience. 

With many significant benefits, “cloud gaming” allows users to dispense with expensive and fast-outdated equipment. 

Let’s go Hybrid

Cloud computing is a technology for ages, and it is not going anywhere. Companies can, and they do rely on cloud vendors to host their workloads for the long-term.

However, Cloud vendors’ are turning their attention to make this technology more specialized and provide tailored made solutions across verticals. The cloud needs of an application provider always differ from the needs of a construction or financial services industry.

Big cloud providers offer a spectrum of choices, from simple hosting to ultra-comprehensive online services, with a carte du jour of tools and software, and with programs ensuring maintenance and security.

The public cloud can ensure savings in the meantime allowing greater flexibility as users’ needs to evolve. 

Hence, many companies opt for a hybrid approach, combining the lower cost, greater power, and high public cloud adaptability with the assurance of private cloud security.

“Companies on average use about three different public-cloud providers,” said Mr. Bob O’Donnell, president, and chief analyst TECHnalysis Research. 

While many companies arose in the data world, he added, “let’s not forget that lots of companies have been moving slowly and cautiously; plenty of companies are just getting started.” 

As per Gartner, In 2020, the public cloud market is expected to reach $266 billion; a hike of 17% over 2019’s.

Moreover, market research firm IDC (International Data Corporation) estimates a near-doubling of the market by 2023 to $500 billion.

2019s Cloud long story short

In 2006, Amazon launched its Cloud Computing services in the name of Amazon Web Services; which gave them a huge leap over its competitors. 

Currently, Amazon owns the biggest chunk of the global public cloud market that varies from 30 to 50%.

In 2019, AWS earned a revenue of $35 billion and claimed millions of users worldwide. Though they had a setback last year: In October, the Pentagon awarded a mega-contract of $10 billion to the second-largest player in the market – Microsoft. 

The company is taking legal action against a backdrop of hostility between US President Donald Trump and Amazon boss Jeff Bezos; in an attempt to block the Microsoft contract.

In February, the Federal court ordered the Pentagon to halt its work temporarily with Microsoft while the matter is reviewed.

Meanwhile, Microsoft recently released its quarter earing and register record figures with an overall growth of 14%. Moreover, Azure becomes the top revenue collector for Microsoft, quarter after quarter.

Azure owns approximately 15 percent of the market; Followed by Google Cloud and China’s Alibaba, with a market share of 5 and 6 percent, respectively.

Google is the youngest member among its peers and the American search engine giant making its cloud business as one their top priority. It shows the ability of the company to analyze very large-scale data as well as the ability of hybrid cloud users or multiple clouds to transfer data from one provider to another quickly.

Google Cloud earns $9 billion in 2019 (up 53 percent in a year)

‘Zero-latency’

All the providers intensify the importance of cybersecurity – their reputation for protecting sensitive data is essential to their survival — but also, and crucially, the ability for automated machine learning to analyze rapidly and optimize the mountains of data being produced at all times.  

For instance, The mega Pentagon Contract is aimed at modernizing the computer systems of the entire American Military with the help of artificial intelligence.  

The contract is also seeking to reduce the environmental costs; as huge amounts of electricity are consumed by sprawling data centers to cool their servers. 

Meantime, upcoming 5G technology and self-driving cars also favoring the development of edge technology; by locating computing and storage capacity relatively closer to end-users, thereby improving the response time. 

To make the cloud technologies readily available for users, AWS has joined hands with Verizon and Microsoft with AT&T. 

The aim is to process the data collected through multiple connected sensors in real-time, without involving the main servers. 

As per technology analysts, “Zero-latency” promises to open dazzling new possibilities.

Read More: How Cloud-Native Approach is Transforming the IT Industry?