sc looks really promising, but i'm concerned companies like Google have cloud storage on a mass scale in the bag (and probably already creating something like this in the background), could this be a genuine contender for mass adoption or is it more specialist?
In my opinion, if Google is the reference in internet it have to think if it need to buy (or invest) in crypto/decentralized projects.
Maybe it has done. Now All projects are small and recent. Time to time.
Google's business model consists in offering cheap or even "free" services in exchange of your data.
Imho the concept of a decentralised cloud secured by blockchain goes against the very fundamentals of its model. A project like Sia can be a game changer in the business of Cloud, just like the way Google's model was disruptive for directories years ago.
Blockchain technology enables not just a cheaper, more efficient way to perform tasks but now it also can ensure privacy, if the customer is concerned about it and choses wisely.
Then we have the issue about data being stored for Government or certain corporations that won't go with hosts if files a stored in certain countries that they deem to be a risk. I know data is encrypted but you still have these concerns about corporate /Government security as "trust" isn't given easily since the Ed Snowden fiasco.