Apple plans a $1 billion data center in Guizhou Province for iCloud — its first such center on the Chinese mainland.
As customers increasingly store data on iCloud, the project will increase security and speeds, Apple said yesterday. The company has signed a cooperation agreement with the Guizhou government.
The center will improve iCloud user experience by "faster and more stable access to the data service," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives.
Analysts say the center meets demand to store data locally and improve the experience for users of iPhone and other Apple products in the face of increasing competition.
Jia Mo, an analyst at Canalys says Apple's huge user base forces the company to offer better service to improve its "unsatisfying" market share and prepare for the next-generation iPhone. Apple is investmeing in new research and data centers to woo consumers, Jia said.
