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Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

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Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#31
post #14

I made a joke years ago about how Google would shut down GCP on a whim, ending the last shred of goodwill they had in tech. Too absurd for reality.

Did you miss that the complete headline is actually 'Google execs reportedly debated getting out of cloud computing, but instead set a goal of being a top-two player by 2023'?

Or is it more the fact they considered it at all?

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#32
post #21

Only way Google perhaps can take a lead in Cloud is if they invent a new paradigm - quantum cloud or something (just to illustrate the point). That is, change the game and not change themselves for the current game. Google just can't compete with hustlers like Amazon, Alibaba and to some extent Microsoft (ex-Oracle leader not withstanding). Cloud business is commodity operational business.

They do. its called AutoML.

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#33
post #21

Only way Google perhaps can take a lead in Cloud is if they invent a new paradigm - quantum cloud or something (just to illustrate the point). That is, change the game and not change themselves for the current game. Google just can't compete with hustlers like Amazon, Alibaba and to some extent Microsoft (ex-Oracle leader not withstanding). Cloud business is commodity operational business.

Just spitballing: what if they rented compute based on sandboxed access to the huge trove of behavioral and activity data they have on their users (which amounts to everyone who uses the web)?

It would be the ultimate differentiator. The only potential competitor would be Facebook, who doesn’t offer cloud services.

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#34
This feels like a threat. Are they going to graveyard Google cloud? Probably not. But they've discontinued so many random, good services that I'm cautious to 'learn' a new Google tool. I wouldn't want to invest in a product only to be forced to transition to AWS in 3 years. Might as well just skip to AWS.

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#36
> If the company fails to achieve this goal, some staffers reportedly believe that Alphabet could withdraw from the market completely.

If I was a paranoid person, I might think this article is a sinister plan from Amazon or Microsoft. A quote like this can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy: managers are already wary about GCP because of Google's flaky reputation, hearing a quote like this could easily make it worse, and the lack of new business makes Google all the more likely to shut it down.

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#37

Point to remember- they are number 4. And beating a fast rising azure is going to be close to impossible.

Who's number 3? Who am I missing?

Gartner ranked Aliyun as the third largest provider in 1Q19.

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#38
post #22
post #15

I can't imagine a more damaging leak for Google Cloud. A company that's already notorious for abandoning projects now has a public date for when they'll abandon cloud. How could anyone in their right mind start building on GCP? They may as well shut it down today.

"That timeline was devised early last year, after an intense monthslong debate among senior leaders at Google and its parent company Alphabet over the future of the cloud business, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told The Information." Can't imagine a leak like that happening. This leak could very well have been planted by MS or Oracle to help them sell their own cloud to clients.

I think you underestimate how political Google has become internally.

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#39
post #27
post #9

If they pour all of their efforts into customer experience, maybe they can stay in the game. I personally am terrified of using Google Cloud. I'm afraid something will go wrong and I won't be able to talk to a human. I've heard so many stories about the "stone wall" that is Google customer support. Also, I'm afraid the rug will get pulled out from under me if I decide to go all in given their history of axing project…

The headline seems to imply that Google will likely EOL Cloud if they don’t win in 3 years. That doesn’t instill confidence.

A CTO betting the farm on Google’s cloud is displaying reckless naivety. Google’s arrogance towards its customers is legendary.

Re: Google Brass Set 2023 as Deadline to Beat Amazon, Microsoft in Cloud

#40
The crazy part about this is that in the meeting of setting targets one option that came up was folding the cloud unit entirely. And this was already after billions invested.

I don't really believe that they will leave the cloud wars, but still goes to show you the scale and profitability of their ad business and how central it is that even after billions of invested they can still decide to shutter something.

Doesn't exactly instill confidence in your customers to trust you for the service you provide.

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