Good to Go: Apple's One Billion Dollar North Carolina Server Farm

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Remember that exonormous server farm Apple was considering building in North Carolina? Apple Insider (via the AP) says that's it's a go. Apple has the money, the technology, and now... the tax breaks. So the only unknown that remains is...

What the frapple are they going to do with a hub that huge?!

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

10 Comments
  • It might be to prepare for a new iPhone, and a netbook and itablet that has cell service and requires activation so you'll have Internet wherever? And also maybe to handle tv shows and movie downloads to iPhone. But I'm stumped. Maybe we'll find out Monday?
  • What aren't they going to do with a hub that size?
  • @sting7k
    ...and he hits the nail on the head
  • Maybe its just load balancing and having a fall-over location in case "The Big One" hits their existing data center(s).
    Maybe the Akamai contract for iPhone/iPod/MAC-OS updates is getting too expensive, and they are putting their cash reserves to work in this down economy when construction industry is begging for work.
    Like Sting, I see no reason to speculate about a specific use for this general purpose facility.
  • If they're going to sell the iPhone at a lower price point (4 GB version) and with less costly plans while the add more services (Push Notifications) at some point they will need more CPU's doing the work. Plus, it's good to have redundency.
  • Sure gives them some confidence when it comes to releasing software and hardware at the same time?
  • Duh, the server farm is to increase capacity to Mobile Me on the east coast
  • not just MobileMe, but iTunes as well
  • Big Porn?
  • Their OWN PHONE COMPANY, to control the iPhone and make me very happy!!???