Report: Google cloud storage coming soon

Google is close to launching a cloud storage service, according to people familiar with the matter, moving it into closer competition with the likes of Apple's iCloud and Dropbox.

Google is to call its storage service Derive and will allow people to store their files in the cloud and retrieve them from whatever device they are on, the sources told the Wall Street Journal.

Collaboration features will also be added in to the service, the source said, although they were vague about the actual launch date, saying it could be weeks or months until the product arrives.

It will be free for most businesses and consumers, although as with Google's other cloud offerings, a fee will be charged for those who want to use up large amounts of storage in the company's data centres.

A Google spokesperson declined to comment.

Google already has a significant number of cloud products letting people store files and then get them on whatever device they are using Google Apps being a prime example. The company also launched its Google Music service last year.

However, it does not have one place in which to store various kinds of data.

The company was working on plans for a cloud storage service some years back. Now CEO Larry Page led the initiative, dubbed G Drive, which was due to launch in 2007 but never made it to market.

Earlier this week, F-Secure announced its own cloud storage offering. However, the product is being marketed for operators to use, meaning the likes of Virgin could soon be pushing out some fresh iCloud rivals.