Google Drive is becoming Google One. The internet giant is revamping its cloud storage platform with new storage plans and a host of new features.
The usual 15GB of free storage is still available for all Google accounts, while the entry level tier still offers 100GB of cloud storage for $1.99 a month.
Next up is a new 200GB tier for $2.99, while the $9.99 tier now gets 2TB rather than 1TB under Google One. Those on the 1TB tier will automatically be upgraded.
The change comes with more smartphone owners (both iOS and Android) relying on Google Photos to back up their photo libraries.
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With the image size of high-quality photos increasing and the more recent arrival of 4K HDR video recording, the free storage space is unlikely to cut it forever.
That doesn’t mean everyone in the household is going to need their own paid storage space, because Google is introducing family sharing for Google One plans.
In a blog post on Monday, the company wrote: “One of the most common requests we’ve received is for storage plans to be sharable within a family. With Google One, you can add up to five family members to your plan and simplify storage under one bill. Everyone gets their own private storage space as well as the additional benefits of Google One.”
Google is also promising more benefits for Google One users, including “one tap” access to customer service.
There’ll also be Google Play credits or deals for hotels found via Google Search. More benefits are coming over time, Google says.
“If you have a paid Drive storage plan,” Google adds, “you’ll be upgraded to Google One automatically over the coming months, starting in the U.S. and then expanding globally. Look out for an email confirming your upgrade to Google One, where you can manage your storage plan and benefits. The way you use Drive to store and share files doesn’t change.”
Which cloud service platform do you think offers the best value for money? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
