Yesterday, Google announced its Google One service, which significantly improves the availability of cloud storage to its customers. Microsoft needs to meet---if not exceed---this offering.

Several years ago, I spoke privately with Steven Sinofsky, who then led the Windows team. When was Microsoft ever going to really show up in the cloud storage market, I asked? His response was interesting and reflective of the day: Never, he told me. Cloud storage is a money-losing business. And if Microsoft made cheap cloud storage available to its one-billion-plus Windows user base, they'd actually use it, if only for a one-time backup. And then Microsoft would be stuck with the responsibility, legal and otherwise, of keeping those backups healthy, geographically replicated, and available.