雲端服務發展競爭策略：以Apple iCloud策略模擬為例

Abstract

在雲端運算與服務蓬勃發展的今日，基礎建設型雲端服務（IaaS）具有相當大的發展潛力，而屬於其中一環的雲端儲存服務，目前已經廣受大眾歡迎。2011年6月，Apple也宣布將在同年秋天推出雲端儲存服務iCloud，供旗下各類型硬體裝置來使用。 由於Apple新進入雲端服務市場，所以需要當紅的產品－行動裝置iDevices（iPhone、iPad、iPod touch等硬體裝置）－來帶領，因此本研究詳述iDevices商業模式與金流的流程，以期對iDevices的成功有更加深入的了解，同時作為iCloud發展策略的基礎認知。 根據iCloud公開資訊與對Apple產品的了解，作者使用創業者與高階經理人的角度，提出iCloud三階段發展策略，並以策略模擬方式進行剖析。根據此策略，iCloud會先擔任輔助型角色，提升iDevices與Apple線上音樂商店iTunes Store銷售，之後再跟隨iDevices進入企業，開拓商用裝置與雲端服務市場。此外，發展策略均採觸媒平台運作模式，可望帶動消費者與iDevices、iTunes Store，還有iCloud與企業間相互需求，進而替Apple創造更大的營收。 不過在iCloud發展策略中，勢必會面臨來自Google、Microsoft與Amazon三大廠商的挑戰，而iCloud與這三大廠間的相互攻防狀況，本研究亦使用策略模擬方式予以分析，藉此得出iCloud與三大廠間競爭時的發展重點與方向，以及三大廠各自的反擊策略。整體來看，即使三大廠反擊火力凶，本研究認為iCloud仍能達成目標，但也讓三大廠開始使用雲端服務加硬體裝置的方式進行反擊，以降低iDevices加iCloud對市場影響力。 最後，綜觀整個雲端服務市場，Apple是採由裝置出發，向雲端服務進攻的發展態勢，與Google、Microsoft、Amazon的出發點皆不同，但各有其發展方向與鎖定市場，之後值得對此部分進行更深入的研究。

In the booming markets of cloud computing and cloud services, the infrastructure-as-a -service (IaaS) has great potential growth in near future, and cloud storage service - one type of IaaS – has become popular nowadays. In June 2011, Apple announced its cloud storage service “iCloud” to work with Apple’s hardware products. Apple’s iCloud is a new and unproved entrant in cloud services market, so it has to be led by Apple’s popular and widely-accepted mobile “iDevices” - including iPhone, iPad and iPod touch - to enter the market. In order to know better about the success of iDevices, which is the foundation of development of iCloud, the detailed studies of business model and cash flows of iDevices have conducted in this thesis. Based on the public information of iCloud and the understanding of Apple’s iDevices, a 3-phase strategy of development of iCloud is proposed and analyzed by method of strategy simulation from the angles of entrepreneurs and top executives. According to the strategy, iCloud is a supportive role at first, to assist the sale of iDevices and music in Apple’s online music store, the iTunes Store, then follow iDevices to get into enterprises and the business devices and services markets. Besides, the 3 phases in the strategy can all operate like a multisided platform and catalyze the needs between consumers and iDevices/iTunes Store and iCloud and enterprises, and help Apple to make high revenue. But during the development of iCloud, Google, Microsoft and Amazon are the big 3 challengers, so the competition status between iCloud and big 3 challengers is also elaborated and analyzed by method of strategy simulation in this thesis. After these analyses, the main targets and goals of iCloud in each phase, and the counter-attacks from the big 3 can be shown more clearly. In sum, regardless of the fierce fight backs from the big 3, I believe iCloud still can achieve its goal in each phase, but the big 3 will use the same strategy of own service-device cooperation to compete with iCloud and iDevices. From the aspect of whole cloud services markets, Apple breaks into the market by the power of iDevices. This move is different from Google, Microsoft and Amazon, but each company has its own directions and strategies for future development. These would be the good topics for future research.