With more local firms engaged in the development of cloud computing technology, Taiwan’s cloud computing market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.8 percent to 2014, as a result of growing corporate demand, a Taipei-based market researcher said.
The nation’s cloud computing market will grow from NT$15.3 billion (US$527 million) in 2009 to NT$41.2 billion in 2014, the Market Intelligence and Consulting Institute (MIC, 資策會產業情報研究中心) said in a report on Thursday.
The growth in cloud computing will outpace the 5 percent CAGR of the existing information and technology service sector during the same period, MIC said.
KEY OPTION
“Cloud computing services will become an important option for corporations to manage their IT [information technology] applications amid rising corporate demand, and more and more IT software companies are offering services for the buildup,” MIC said in the report.
Globally, the cloud computing market is expected to reach a CAGR of 27.7 percent or US$42 billion by 2014 from US$12.3 billion market in 2009, MIC said.
A number of Taiwanese firms have moved into the cloud computing sector by either offering software services based on the technology or producing hardware to run cloud computing solutions.
On Friday, Acer Inc (宏碁), the world’s No. 4 PC maker, announced the establishment of an Acer Cloud Competency Center in Taoyuan in a move to offer cloud computing solutions for corporate customers.
ENABLING
Acer also unveiled its first cloud computing service, dubbed Acer Cloud Enabler, providing tailer-made to cloud computing solutions for companies with 150 to 500 employees, featuring an easy-to-use interface and customizable billing architecture to allow organizations of all sizes to enjoy on-demand services.
The announcement came after Acer said it planned to acquire the Silicon Valley-based cloud computing company iGware Inc for US$320 million to beef up its cloud computing services for consumer PC products.
APPLICATIONS
PC and smartphone players, including HTC Corp (宏達電) and Asustek Computer Inc (華碩電腦), have also moved into the cloud to enhance application offerings in a bid to lure consumers to their computer gadgets.
HTC said on Aug. 5 it would spend US$18.5 million to purchase Dashwire Inc, a Seattle-based company that offers cloud computing solutions to connect various mobile devices.
It said the move would allow it to tap Dashwire’s solutions to enhance its HTCSense.com cloud service, which was launched last year for its smartphone and tablet users.
Dashwire offers a range of consumer, social and device management software services for mobile operators, device makers and retailers. The company’s platform is available for Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian and BlackBerry.
Electronics manufacturer Hon Hai Group (鴻海) and local contract laptop computer makers Wistron Corp (緯創) and Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦) are some of the local firms that expanded their business to making cloud computing equipment such as storage and blade servers.
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