Google may decrease the amount of free storage available to users in Gmail, Drive, and Photos to 5 GB.
Google is possibly planning to reduce the amount of free storage given to new accounts. Instead of the usual 15 GB, users might only receive 5 GB upon creating a Google Account. However, linking a phone number during registration could still unlock the full quota for free.
No official announcement has been made yet. Currently, only user testimonies, Reddit screen captures, and a subtle modification on the Google support page are available. Previously, the company explicitly stated that each account provided 15 GB of free storage. Now, the page indicates that each Google Account offers “up to 15 GB” of combined storage for Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos.
What changes could occur?
New accounts that are set up without a phone number may be restricted to 5 GB of complimentary storage. On the other hand, individuals who provide and verify a phone number during registration will have the full 15 GB storage capacity, which is currently standard for most Google personal accounts.
This area is not limited to Gmail only; it is utilized by Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. This implies that the quota is shared for emails with attachments, files stored in Drive, photos, videos, and even WhatsApp backups on Android.
Google was known for providing more complimentary storage than its competitors for many years. For instance, Apple’s iCloud only offers 5 GB of free storage, which tends to fill up fast for users backing up iPhone photos, videos, and data. In contrast, Google has consistently offered 15 GB of free storage as a distinguishing feature.
Fifteen gigabytes may no longer appear as ample as before due to larger mobile photos, high-resolution videos, accumulating email attachments, and the end of free unlimited storage for new uploads on Google Photos in 2021. Consequently, many individuals are reaching their account limits more quickly.
The default 5 GB limit on accounts without phones can be quickly reached. It may not be a problem right away for those who use Gmail as a secondary email, but for those who utilize Drive, Photos, and Android backup on the same account, the difference between 5 GB and 15 GB is substantial.
Existing accounts are not likely to lose storage space, according to current information. It seems that the changes apply to new accounts, so current Google Account holders with 15 GB should not expect their storage limit to be reduced to 5 GB at this time.
If the test arrives in Brazil, it will have a bigger effect on individuals who make new accounts, whether for personal use, education, informal employment, Android phone, or photo storage. A lot of Brazilian users rely on their Google Account for email, contacts, file storage, photo syncing, and backups.
