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Topic: Cloud

Strategy Analytics: Apple leads cloud storage wars, but Dropbox is gaining

Summary: Turns out that Apple has quite the lead over other cloud storage services for U.S. users, according to a new survey.

Rachel King

By for Between the Lines |

Apple is currently in the lead when it comes to the domestic cloud storage wars, according to a new survey produced by Strategy Analytics.

The real strength here for the Cupertino, Calif.-based corporation was digital entertainment, which tends to require a lot of space anyway.

Thus, the combination of iCloud and iTunes Match was said to account for 27 percent of cloud storage usage in the United States during the third quarter of 2012.

Ed Barton, director of digital media at Strategy Analytics, highlighted in the report how music has become "key battleground in the war for cloud domination."

This primarily pits the tech giants of Apple, Amazon, and Google against each other being that they arguably have the largest and most successful digital media and entertainment marketplaces online.

However, neither Amazon nor Google came in second on this list. That honor went to Dropbox which doesn't have a dedicated entertainment service whatsoever. (But it was noted that 45 percent of Dropbox users do use the cloud storage lockers for saving music.)

Accounting for 17 percent of major cloud media usage in the U.S. last fall, Dropbox skirted past Amazon Cloud Drive by just two percentage points.

Barton suggested that this reflects "that an integrated content storefront isn't essential to build a large user base. Nevertheless, he hinted Dropbox might head in this direction with the prediction that "competition to intensify sharply over the coming years."

via Engadget

Topics: Cloud, Amazon, Apple, Storage, Google Apps

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25 comments
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  • Where is the ballot box?

    On my ios devices, where is the ballot box that lets me choose which cloud storage vendor I want to use?

    Or am I forced to use the cloud storage product that the manufacturer of the OS built?

    Are users choosing icloud or has it been chosen for them?

    I'll be VERY interested to see what answers I get to these questions. Admiral Ackbar, anything you want to say?
    toddbottom3
    Reply 2 Votes

    • easy answer

      You are not using an iOS device since last November, so you could not even know. Or care.
      danbi
      Reply 1 Vote

      • That is a great answer

        Can you guess why?
        toddbottom3
        Reply Vote

        • Yes

          But most filters would reject the exact wording. Suffice to say, the reason would not be much like praise of you.
          ego.sum.stig
          Reply 2 Votes

          • Nope

            Care to guess again?
            toddbottom3
            Reply Vote

          • Nope.

            Care to stop trolling?
            The Danger is Microsoft
            Reply Vote

    • When you set up your device

      you can opt out of iCloud all together. I have both DropBox and iCloud which is probably true for most.

      This is hardly the same as what you are pathetically hinting at. Weak.
      CowLauncher
      Reply Vote

      • Oh, this is great

        "I have both DropBox and iCloud which is probably true for most."

        So you were able to use cloud storage products from other vendors as well? That's great news because that eliminates the need for a ballot box.

        Just a quick question: how do I set it up so that ios backs up all my pictures and settings to dropbox instead of to icloud? I presume that DropBox is a first class citizen replacement for icloud or are there certain things in the OS that can't be configured to use anything other than icloud?

        Admiral Ackbar: are you listening?
        toddbottom3
        Reply Vote

        • I have to interject my opinion on this one, Todd.

          Regarding your question, how do I set it up so that iOS backs up all my pictures and settings to dropbox (or ANY OTHER cloud service - my phrase here but it's what you imply) instead of to iCloud?

          One has to answer that question with an understanding of basic business practices. And, with answers to these types of questions. For example, as a business practice, what characteristics differentiate one service from another. What type of end user costs are involved? What are the potential cost per service benefits?

          An Apple consumer also has choices on which cloud service he may choose. For example, Apple's own service, iCloud and-or iMatch, or Google's Drive cloud service, or Amazon's cloud based service, or Microsoft's Skydrive or Dropbox or Evernote cloud options. Or, he can choose all or some of those services.

          Why an Apple customer may choose to use one service over another involves certain factors. For example, ease of use, features, cost, ex cetera)

          Now, as to the answer to your question, I haven't the foggiest idea. Perhaps your answers could best be found by receiving direct answers from all those other cloud services in order to see if those needs could be met.

          But then again, why would I choose any cloud service other than Apple's cloud service to perform those tasks - if iCloud satisfies those needs? Apparently, according to the study by Strategy Analytics, 27 percent of ALL cloud service users (not just Apple users alone) chose Apple's iCloud as their cloud service that best fits their needs. It's just a pure business decision. Apple's iCloud meets their needs and perhaps those other services simply don't which implies that choosing one cloud service over another is just a simple consumer choice - especially for Apple consumers since ALL those cloud based services mentioned in my comment are available to them.
          kenosha77a
          Reply Vote

          • Thanks kenosha, always happy to have you join in

            In other words, if an OS has a product that is available by default and it satisfies all the needs of nearly every single user, and as long as the OS gives you the option to install other, competing products should you decide to do so, even if those competing products aren't given 1st class citizen status and even if you can't uninstall the default product, everything is good?

            Admiral Ackbar: hey, what are those blips on the radar?
            toddbottom3
            Reply Vote

          • Uninstall the default product?

            If we are referring to iCloud, it is simply an optional service to use. It is a service that is TURNED OFF by default. (At least it's turned off to the best of my recollection) However, unlike those third party cloud services which I mentioned previously, iCloud access is a component or optional feature of the operating system itself and not a "stand alone" application. Or, iCloud can be viewed as an optional service for iTunes - which again, is an optional application. One doesn't have to use iTunes.

            If those other services, like Skydrive (which I use, obviously, on both my OS X/iOS/Win 8 systems) can provide a service that best suits a user than it can be "optionally installed" and iCloud need never be activated.

            However, personally, I find that iCloud is a great asset for me. It is a key differentiator between competing ecosystems and, as such, deserves it's "1st class sitizen status". Grin.
            kenosha77a
            Reply 3 Votes

          • PS It's always enjoyable having these discussions, Todd

            I forgot to add that to my comment. BTW, I hope you can get a Surface Pro soon or it's next generation model. It is a fine piece of hardware and software synergy.
            kenosha77a
            Reply Vote

    • Silly OS wars

      I don't care what OS you use. You're still able to read and post here regardless, right? Oh, that's the platform-independence that HTML was designed for.
      I'm no OS-wars fanboi, but I am a Star Wars fan.

      Admiral Akbar declares, "It's a trap!"
      Solenoid
      Reply 1 Vote

  • "cloud storage wars" - misleading title.

    Apple is not leading anything. They just got lucky in 2007 with the launch of iPhone. But now it seems you can fool people for ever, Apple is on the decline.

    The reports seems rubbish if its about total cloud storage, SkyDrive is not even mentioned. The report seems to be based on some silly match service.
    Owllll1net
    Reply Vote

    • Apple's growth has slowed

      The decline may (or may not) be coming, but it hasn't happened yet.
      x I'm tc
      Reply Vote

    • Apple leads in many things - they are the top e-tailer as well.

      " They just got lucky in 2007 with the launch of iPhone."
      Yeah, pure luck that -- no work on Apple's part was involved. If they hadn't gotten lucky, all would be well in the Symbian, Windows Mobile and Blackberry paradise, right?
      Ted T.
      Reply 1 Vote

  • *correction

    *But now it seems you can't fool people for ever, Apple is on the decline.
    Owllll1net
    Reply Vote

    • Correction: Apple leads cloud storage wars

      Kudos Apple….. :)
      daikon
      Reply 3 Votes

  • This is too funny

    Write something positive about Apple and the usual candidates from the "lunatic fringe" will be here posting their usual drivel.
    Todbottom3 check!
    Owlll1net check!
    Any more takers?
    MG537-23482538203179240121698430309828
    Reply 4 Votes

    • Hey, it's the ZDNet forum...

      This is where fanboys keep repeating their version of "the truth", over and over again. And Apple fanboys are no better than Microsoft fanboys (or Android fanboys).

      But it's amusing that none of them seem to EVER be willing to admit that there just MIGHT be some weaknesses in the company/products they love (some of their posts read like a marketing brochure).
      Smalahove
      Reply Vote
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