Although Microsoft has already spoken about how Windows 8 will have SkyDrive features right in to it, they have now posted an in depth look at how it is going to change the way consumer computers work with the cloud. This post, penned by Microsoft SkyDrive group program manager Omar Shahine, talks about how SkyDrive is going to take cloud services on personal computers to a whole new level with SkyDrive on Windows 8.
Whilst talking about cloud services, he talked about three main service types — File Clouds (e.g. the SkyDrive service itself); Device Clouds (e.g. Apple’s iCloud because it is all about keeping Apple devices in sync with each other) and app clouds. This last one he broke down further in to fully cloud based applications like Google Docs and and media service like Netflix and Pandora.
With SkyDrive, Microsoft seems to want to try doing everything. That would include enabling the whole Windows 8 system with cloud features. This give you features like having access to your files from anywhere on earth via the internet. It will allow the future generation tablets that are going to come out in large numbers next year, to stay connected and updated with all your file changes or just the ones that you have chosen to be synced. Even if Microsoft ends up not providing such features, third party solutions are bound to show up. You already have services like DropBox where the application starts backing your files up online right as you are working them and they even give you time based restoration features. App developers can easily do this because cloud features are built right in to the SDK. They can build access to SkyDrive in to any software that needs cloud support.
This way, any developer who has a brilliant cloud based idea can execute wit without being stymied by the need for a reliable cloud that he/she can afford. The cloud needs to be reliable, fast, secure and over all sturdy. Only very large entities have the resources to hold such services and Microsoft is one of them with their SkyDrive. On top of that, Skydrive is a tried and tested service. According to the October 2011 stats released by Microsoft, over 17 million users onboard SkyDrive every month. Together they upload more than 320 million files every month. All of this comes from 5 million devices that connect to SkyDrive.
According to Shahine, the order of the day is simplicity, security, favorable storage limits and cross-device compatibility. He seems to be pointing at a seamless experience across different device. He also said that they would work with key apps especially that help users collaborate, organize and share things.
