Apple is moving away from Amazon Web Services and over to Google Cloud Platform for some of its online and iCloud-related services. Considering how big AWS is, the shift won't be a huge blow for Amazon, but it is a big win for Google.
Apple shifting cloud services from Amazon to Google
Sources speaking with CRN said Apple began migrating some on its online infrastructure from AWS to Google last fall after signing a deal worth somewere between US$400 and $600 million. Apple isn't abandoning AWS completely, but is greatly reducing its reliance on Amazon's services.
The transition away from AWS shows Apple is still keeping business and legal issues separate, just as it does with Samsung. Apple's extended fight with Samsung over smartphone and Android-related patent infringement hasn't stopped the company from relying on Samsung's chips for the iPhone, and it's now doing the same with Google—the company that makes Android OS.
Apple and Google have kept quite about the deal, although Apple has previously confirmed it does use AWS and Microsoft's Azure for fome if its cloud service needs. Amazon responded to questions about Apple's move saying, "It's kind of a puzzler to us because vendors who understand doing business with enterprises respect [non-disclosure agreements] with their customers and don't imply competitive defection where it doesn't exist."
Google is a distant third place compared to AWS and Azure, but has been growing thanks to deals with Best Buy, Coca-Cola, General Mills, HTC, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and recently with Snapchat.
Apple may have decided to work with Google because of the company's growing fiber-based infrastructure. Google has been expanding its reach through fiber, giving its services better bandwidth at a lower price, and considering how much data Apple moves thanks to its App Stores, streaming music, and other user content, that could reduce costs for the company.