This IDC study discusses results from the 2012 ConsumerScape 360 Survey, which looked at consumers' awareness and usage of and general concerns about consumer-oriented cloud services. The large growth opportunity seen around consumer cloud hinges on its speed of growth in educating consumers about cloud solutions (particularly with regard to education about security solutions and how these are addressed through cloud platforms).

"We believe the opportunity associated with consumer cloud services is tremendous as the mass market begins to understand and use these services and as these services' utility expands with individuals' growing dependency on more devices," said Danielle Levitas, group vice president, Consumer, Client, and New Media. "That being said, U.S. consumers are still very unfamiliar with cloud services, are unsure of when or where they're already using cloud services, and currently only have a moderate level of trust in both cloud providers and cloud technologies."