Once upon a time, HUAWEI CLOUD computers were welcomed by many users when they first launched, and everyone looked forward to the convenient experience of computers on the cloud.
Try to think about what a wonderful experience it is to use cloud computers on mobile phones, tablets and other devices to conveniently process all kinds of documents, open various computer applications without system limitations, and play computer-side games.
Not only Huawei Cloud Computers, but the products of the cloud computer category were very new to users at the time. When they see such news, they will read more about the configuration, price and usage of cloud computers. We In addition to the product, various ideas are unconsciously carried out, which invisibly raises expectations for cloud computers.
However, there is a big gap between ideal and reality, and the current cloud computers cannot perfectly realize our imagination.
Recently, Huawei officially announced that “Huawei Cloud Computer will stop service and operation at 23:59 on August 15, 2021, Beijing time”. We will not be able to log in and use it at that time and in the future. Before that, we need to transfer to the cloud computer. All the data of, the data will be permanently deleted after the service is stopped and cannot be recovered. There is only about 3 years between the release of Huawei Cloud Computer and the suspension of service. People can’t help but wonder if the current cloud computers are really just tasteless?
The limitations of cloud computers at this stage
A simple understanding of the so-called cloud computer is to deploy the computing power and data of the computer to the cloud. The terminal device can access the personal desktop in the cloud when the network is smooth, use various applications and transmit various data, and the premise of all this is that the network is smooth And the delay is low enough to allow us to get a user experience close to traditional computers.
The arrival of 5G is an opportunity for the development of cloud computers, especially on 5G mobile phones, the latency of cloud computers can be reduced to a very low level, and the delay is difficult to be noticed by users when it is lightly used. With the real arrival and continuous popularization of 5G, delay is no longer the main factor restricting the development of cloud computers (in the case of 5G connections). On the contrary, price has become an important factor restricting the development of cloud computers.
Cloud computers are divided into different packages according to different configurations. The initial price of Huawei Cloud Computer is 2 yuan per hour or 29.8 yuan per month. Note that this is only an economical configuration (2 core CPU + 4G memory + 80G system disk + 2M broadband) , This configuration can only meet very basic operations such as document editing. If you want a better experience, you can only choose a higher-level configuration.
The standard version of Huawei Cloud Computer’s 4-core CPU+8G memory version costs 59.8 yuan per month. When the storage space is not enough, you need to purchase an additional data disk. Think about it, this is a not small expense in a year. A Huawei cloud computer user said bluntly: “Mild to moderate work can be done smoothly. You don’t need to bring a computer on business trips. Just leave with an account. The disadvantage is that it is expensive. A cloud PC with 8G memory and 500G hard disk requires a maintenance fee of 1,500 per year. Yuan”. Excluding the cost of network connection and the purchase of keyboard and mouse peripherals, this cost is still a threshold for many users to choose cloud computers.
Secondly, there are limitations in the use of cloud computers. Because of the cloudification of computing power and data, cloud computers need to be used in scenarios where large files need to be frequently called. Only after uploading to the cloud, the cloud computer can call the file, such as a large number of video materials of video clips, and RAW format photos of post-retouching. In this way, not only does it add one more step to upload files, but also considers the network upload speed and frequent uploading of large files. It is easier to use traditional computer operations.
For our ordinary users, cloud computers are in an embarrassing position with little advantages. They need to consider a network environment with high speed and low latency. When using them, they also need to pay according to the configuration and time of use, making the current Cloud computers are only suitable for a small number of users with conditions and specific needs, and are not suitable for most people.
So is the suspension of Huawei cloud computers related to the limitations of cloud computers?
As mentioned in the previous article, due to the particularity of cloud computers at this stage, its audience is relatively small. Only a few users use cloud computers to directly replace traditional computers. Many people just want to try new things. This also leads to cloud computers at this stage. The market is relatively small. Go to the application market to search and find out (take the Apple Store as an example) that there are not many vendors that provide cloud computers, but from software evaluation data, it can be seen that most cloud computers have evaluation numbers between hundreds and thousands. Not many people use it. The suspension of Huawei Cloud Computer may be directly related to the immature and small market size of the cloud computer market at this stage.
On the other hand, cloud computers require manufacturers to build cloud hardware, and need to maintain it continuously in the later stage, which virtually consumes a lot of costs. Affected by the sanctions, Huawei’s chip foundry channels have been blocked, and its mobile phone business has been greatly impacted, and its chip procurement has also been affected. Huawei is now abandoning its cloud computer business, or it has to make a choice.
What is the future of cloud computing? Is it Windows 365
Some time ago, Microsoft released the Windows 365 cloud computer. Users can use Windows 365 on many devices, including various Android devices, Linux computers, iPads and Macs. They are not restricted by hardware devices and use locations, and can access their own cloud anytime, anywhere. Desktop and view all kinds of data.
As a developer of the Windows system, Windows 365 will not only bring a more convenient cross-device experience, but what is really expected is that Microsoft may optimize the system for cloud computers in the future. For example, develop a set of UI interfaces suitable for different devices, which can have a better experience even when used on small screen devices such as mobile phones, or develop a lightweight version of the cloud Windows system, which can be maintained in a general network environment The relatively smooth experience reduces the barriers for users to get started.
Microsoft has tasted the sweetness of the cross-device subscription model in Office 365. Office 365 and Azure cloud together became the symbol of Nadella’s promotion of Microsoft’s transformation that year. The emergence of Windows 365 has injected vitality into the cloud computer market, starting from the enterprise side, and gradually promoting the maturity of the cloud computer market.
In fact, Windows 365 is the same as Huawei Cloud Computer and other cloud computers. The real problem is how to open the cloud computer market, provide more application scenarios, and enable more users to transition from traditional computers to cloud computers. There are many issues involved, such as the cultivation of user habits, the construction of a cloud computer ecosystem, stricter privacy regulations and data protection measures, and the construction of high-speed network infrastructure (5G and urban WiFi, etc.).
What is the cloud computer of the future? There are a thousand Hamlet in the eyes of a thousand viewers, and maybe everyone has a different answer. In Xiaolei’s view, the future of cloud computers can truly realize the transfer of traditional computer productivity to the cloud, forming a comprehensive cloud computer application ecosystem, including document office, video editing, and program development.
Concluding remarks
Computing power to the cloud is one of the future industry development trends. Concentrating computing power in the cloud and deploying on-demand use on-demand can reduce the waste of computing power. In the future, the cloud computer market will become more and more mature, and the market cake will become bigger and bigger, attracting more manufacturers to participate in the ecological construction of cloud computers. At this stage, cloud computers still have many shortcomings. There are not only cloud computers themselves, but also network infrastructure construction and business models, which make the current cloud computers embarrassing in product positioning, and they don’t have many unique advantages or Functional pain points can make up for their own shortcomings and attract users to truly choose themselves.
The suspension of Huawei Cloud Computer does not mean the failure of the cloud computer industry. It is Huawei’s comprehensive consideration of its own business development. Maybe someday in the future, Huawei will return to the cloud computer market through other forms. It is also expected that Microsoft’s entry will bring more surprises to the cloud computer market. With its own technology and industry advantages, it will drive Windows computer manufacturers to open up the cloud computer market and let the cloud computer era come as soon as possible.
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