“Apple Inc. is assembling a high-speed network and upgrading how it builds data centers,” Peter Burrows reports for Bloomberg, citing “people familiar with the plans.”

“Up to now, Apple has relied mostly on traditional network providers and technology suppliers to support consumer services such as iTunes for music and movies, iCloud for storing photos and other content and the Siri voice-activated assistant,” Burrows reports. “Apple is planning to introduce a streaming-music service at its developer conference in San Francisco on Monday, with TV possibly following later in the year. It will need more efficient, faster infrastructure to ensure glitch-free delivery, people with knowledge of the matter have said.”

“Apple’s push to build a stronger cloud infrastructure combines two initiatives: Building out a faster network and upgrading data centers. While Apple hasn’t disclosed total costs, investments will run into the billions,” Burrows reports. “Apple wants to own pipes linking its four large U.S. data centers and Internet hubs in certain cities to ensure fast, reliable delivery of content and services. By adding capacity and increasing efficiency, it seeks to handle more traffic on its own, without renting as much server space from cloud providers such as Amazon and Microsoft, said people with knowledge of the plan, who asked not to be identified because Apple isn’t discussing the moves publicly. ”

“Rather than buy off-the-shelf technology, the company has been working on ways to send data via fiber lines at hundreds of gigabits per second, according to one of the people,” Burrows reports. “Before, Apple’s data centers were filled mostly with off-the-shelf gear such as Hewlett-Packard Co. servers, Cisco Systems Inc. ethernet switches, and NetApp Inc. storage gear. For the past couple of years, it has been in talks with companies that can help it design its own equipment.”

Much more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: It’s about time! Although it’s been getting better recently, Apple TV had become sort of a joke among users for its slowness. “Oh, Apple TV? Hurry up and wait!” Enough with the iCloud outages, too. This stuff has to be rock-solid, dependable, and fast!

SEE ALSO:

What Apple’s new content delivery network means for so-called ‘net neutrality’ – and for you – August 19, 2014
Apple’s content delivery network now live; paid interconnect deals with ISPs, massive capacity in place – August 1, 2014
Apple’s content delivery network is reportedly live and it’s positively massive – July 31, 2014
Apple negotiating paid interconnect deals with ISPs for their own Content Delivery Network – May 20, 2014