Google Photos is ending its very tempting free unlimited storage advantage and will begin to charge for the storage space user’s pictures and videos take over the 15GB quota. The latest modification will come on 1st June 2021. It is targeted to assist Google to convince more users to get a Google 1 subscription that brings cloud storage, along with Google Drive and Gmail, with a space of 30TB space. The company is further bringing a policy to erase data from sedentary accounts that have not been signed in for at least 2yrs.
With the help of the latest update, any new pictures, and videos that the user uploads on Google Photos initiating 1st June will count toward the free 15GB storage limit as part of their Google Account. The search giant has, although, that any photos or videos they have uploaded in ‘high quality’ but not the ‘original quality, before 1st June will not count against the 15GB cap. Henceforth, the change will be operative for the uploads will take place after 1st June.
Image from Google Photos
The company has further given a benefit to Pixel smartphone users as they will be excused from the newest change and will continue to be able to upload their pictures and videos in ‘high quality’ from their devices even after 1st June. But not like before, users will also not be able to access unlimited storage for their content in its unique file size. Other users, who don’t have a Pixel smartphone, have had a 15GB cap for uploading ‘original quality’ pictures and videos that did not apply to Pixel smartphones up till yet. This means that the users of Pixel will further have to negotiate for storage space to some degree.
Google photos were introduced in 2015, it gained huge popularity among the users, thanks to the free storage benefit it delivered. The company has highlighted in its blog post that over 4 trillion pictures are stored on Google Photos, with 28bn latest pictures and videos uploaded every week. The widespread adoption of the service also delivered Google a local way to improve its machine learning algorithms. Although, it has recently decided to put the free storage benefit to an end.
The company has said that the latest update won’t bring any big change for most Google Photos users as over 80% of its userbase should still be able to store roughly 3 more years’ worth of memories using the free 15GB storage distribution. Some alerts and warnings will further be provided via the Google Photos application once a user reaches near the limit.
A “personalized estimate” for how long your storage might last is already accessible via the Google Photos settings. Likewise, a tool will be accessible in the Google Photos application starting from June that will allow users to manage their backed-up photos and videos. It will further surface shots that they might want to erase permanently.
In addition to Google Photos, the company is further containing Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and Jam board files to the 15GB storage cap. Google has also declared a policy to remove the content of accounts inactive for more than 2yrs beginning from 1st June.
