Fear of no choice helps Amazon’s cloud rivals

The Amazon.com Inc. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Shield website is displayed on an Apple Inc. iPhone and iPad in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. Amazon.com unveiled a new security tool for cloud customers last week, part of a slew of product announcements designed to fend off competition from Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc.'s Google and others in the fast-growing cloud computing market. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

NEW YORK: Fear of no choice is starting to help Amazon's cloud rivals. The online giant's web-services division has monopoly-like features – it's huge and growing, and size makes it operationally and financially more efficient. 

Yet Jeff Bezos' firm won't walk away with all the spoils. Customers are worried about being locked in, and that will keep competitors in business.