- Tom Lamoureux, Global and US Advisory Sector Leader, Technology
Cloud redefining markets in the US
In the US, the cloud was seen as a potent disruptor, drawing 46 percent and 53 percent on the consumer and business fronts, respectively.
US technology companies, both start-ups and established players, continue to roll out cloud services at a rapid pace. US cloud providers are experiencing adoption changes such as shorter sales cycles and increasingly working with customers to develop cloud strategies beyond cost savings.
During the last three years, the KPMG US Technology industry outlook survey has indicated that technology executives expect cloud to be the biggest revenue growth driver in the coming years. In the survey released in May 2012, technology executives continued to cite cloud (51 percent), and mobile applications and devices (48 percent), as the biggest drivers of their company's revenue growth.
Embracing the cloud in China
Today, there are five designated Cloud Computing Service Innovation Pilot Cities in China. With significant government incentives, leading edge projects in cloud, including R&D, are in abundance, and produce a gamut of services to quench the appetite from business and consumer markets. The Cloud is already ubiquitous in China; many consumers do not realize how often they access it for services like emails, mobile apps and social networking. The Asia Cloud Computing Association reported the Chinese government’s plan to invest $154 billion to boost the cloud industry over the next few years. The capital will no doubt encourage further involvement from local players and foreign direct investments (FDI).