Google aims to be ‘cloud company’ by 2020, predicts more revenue from cloud platform than ads

At today’s Structure event in San Francisco, Urs Hölze, Google’s senior vice president of technical infrastructure, predicts that within the next five years, Google’s Cloud Platform revenues could surpass its advertising revenue.

“The goal is for us to talk about Google as a cloud company by 2020,” Holze said.

It’s an ambitious plan for a company that is typically thought to be lagging behind Amazon Web Servces (AWS) and Microsoft Azure in the cloud computing market.

Hölze didn’t flinch at the comparison. Instead, he defended Google’s position by comparing this to the early smartphone battle between iOS and Android. The iPhone was first, but Android is now the world’s most used operating system.

How Startup Amsterdam Boosts Innovation and Growth at TNW Conference

Discover how the City of Amsterdam partnered with TNW to amplify its startup ecosystem, attract global talent, and foster innovation that drives economic impact.

Read the case study

Time will tell, but it’s usually unwise to bet against Google.

➤ Urs Hölze, Google’s 8th employee and tech guru, thinks the cloud could make more money than ads [Business Insider]