We use electronic devices and the internet all the time, but do not understand where the lines between all the different services are drawn. Here are several categories of service providers.
Your Phone Company This is the communications network/service that your phone or computer connects to and allows you to make telephone calls and use the internet. Examples in Canada are Rogers, Bell Canada, Shaw, Fido, Eastlink. Examples in the USA are AT&T and Verizon.
Cloud Services The brand of phone you choose automatically implies which cloud your data is stored in. If you chose Apple, your data is stored in the Apple cloud. If you chose Android, your data is stored in the Google cloud.
Social Media Companies There is some disagreement about exactly which social media apps are the most popular, depending on how you want to measure, however, it’s indisputable that TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, WeChat are all very popular.
Apps and Websites, etc Every app, website, podcast, downloadable media sites, dating and hookup apps, are also considered service providers.
Streaming Services Netflix, Disney, YouTube
Online and Console Games There is a sprawling ecosystem of online and console games, role playing games (Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft), first person shooters (Fortnite, Call of Duty, Halo), driving games (F1, Nascar), sports (NBA, NFL, FIFA) too numerous to list. Additionally, which app or social media is most popular is a matter of some disagreement. Apple reports over 1 million games in their app store.
Financial Institutions Every credit or debit transaction you perform from your electronic devices is processed by a broad range of financial service providers. In most cases you only see your credit card or bank as the service provider, however, in the connected electronic world of the internet, the functions of processing and storing your data, identifying and authenticating you for transacting, are commonly done by arms length service providers to your point of contact.