Apple's switch to Google's cloud – what does it mean to you?

17 March 2016, 05:22


A number of sources are reporting that Apple has switched some of its cloud storage needs to Google Cloud Platform, and away from its existing providers, which are Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. Yup, Apple’s in bed with pretty much all its cut-throat competitors when it comes to providing services or parts for its products.

But what does the use of Google’s Cloud Platform mean for us end-users?

Zilch! It means nothing, and none of us should see any difference in our use of iCloud services. However, if you use an app like Little Snitch, that monitors outgoing collections, you might see a new prompt appear asking if it’s OK to authorise a connection to Google’s cloud services. This is, of course, perfectly OK.

Apple encrypts all data it uploads to the cloud so there are no security issues to worry about. Even if somebody hacked into the Google cloud servers that Apple is using, all they will see is gibberish. Allegedly, and thanks to the FBI’s nosiness, pretty soon iCloud data will be encrypted in a way that even Apple can’t bypass, making it totally personal to the user. At that point it won’t matter where the cloud data uploaded to. Apple could write it in chalk on the sidewalk outside Infinite Loop and it would make no difference.



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