Google announces new cloud regions in Asia Pacific

Google is preparing to launch three new Google Cloud regions in Malaysia, Thailand, and New Zealand, the firm revealed in a blog post on Tuesday.

The new regions will join 34 others currently operating across the globe, including 11 in the Asia Pacific.

Per Google, enterprises across industries, including public sector organisations, will benefit from the regions’ capability to maintain low latency and high security, data residency, and compliance standards.

“The new Google Cloud regions will help to address organisations’ increasing needs in the area of digital sovereignty and enable more opportunities for digital transformation and innovation in Asia Pacific," said Daphne Chung, research director of cloud services and software research at IDC Asia Pacific.

“With this announcement, Google Cloud is providing customers with more choices in accessing capabilities from local cloud regions while aiding their journeys to hybrid and multi-cloud environments,” added Chung.

The new Asia Pacific regions will also join six other previously announced regions, namely Berlin, Dammam, Doha, Mexico, Tel Aviv, and Turin.

Total spending on cloud services in the APAC area (barring Japan) is set to reach $282 billion by 2025, according to IDC estimates. AWS has also announced plans to set up cloud bases in Aukland, Manila and Bangkok, although that has now been upstaged by Google's latest announcement.

“Having migrated our operations and applications onto Google Cloud’s superior data cloud infrastructure, we are already delivering more personalized services and experiences to small business owners, delivery riders, and consumers than ever before – and in a more cost-efficient and sustainable way,” commented Thana Thienachariya, chairman of the board, Purple Ventures.

“With the new cloud region, we will be physically closer to the computing resources that Google Cloud has to offer, and able to access cloud technologies in a faster and even more complete way. This will help strengthen our mission: to build a homegrown ‘super app’ that assists smaller players and revitalises the grassroots economy.”

"The new Google Cloud regions will help to address organisations increasing needs in the area of digital sovereignty and enable more opportunities for digital transformation and innovation in APAC," Google Cloud's Daphne Chung said. "With this announcement, Google Cloud is providing customers with more choices in accessing capabilities from local cloud regions while aiding their journeys to hybrid and multi-cloud environments."

Google Cloud is gradually cementing itself as the third-biggest cloud provider in what is a very competitive market. However, while AWS and Azure dominating the market, Google is still yet to match them for profit with its cloud services. Though the firm did manage to surpass $6 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time in Q2 of 2022.

With additional reporting from Bobby Hellard