For years now Google let users store a limitless number of compressed images in the cloud using the Google Photos app. But, just like other “unlimited” things in technology unlimited is a myth. Free unlimited storage is vanishing from the Google Photos app on June 1, 2021.
From that point forward users will be capped at 15 GB of free ‘high quality’ photo storage per account. Google is grandfathering photos uploaded before June 1 next year and will keep those photos hosted under the free unlimited storage option. However photos uploaded after June 1, 2021 will be counted against the 15GB free storage limit. Google will also allow owners of the Google Pixel phone’s (Pixel 1-5) to keep storing unlimited images in ‘high quality.
Google Photos launched as an exclusively free service in 2015, and currently has over 1 billion users. And according to the company, hosts over 4 trillion images on its servers currently, with around 28 billion photos and videos per week.
Google says, “over 80 percent of you should still be able to store roughly three more years worth of memories with your free 15 GB of storage”
Those wanting more than 15GB of storage can pay for it. Google’s storage is honestly fairly inexpensive, with 100GB costing $1.99/ month. The price isn’t anything for a consumer to complain about, however, Google Photos being free, and unlimited kneecapped photo storage competitors, at least in the consumer space.
Because Google Photos for some time now counted original quality photos and videos against the 15GB Free account storage limit, backup solutions for photographers still wanting to store raw uncompressed images could still find a market. But that market could never hope to hit a billion users. RIP so many startups, and with them so much consumer choice.
Photo by Kai Wenzel on Unsplash
A small town girl living in a robots world. But these robots only exist online and don’t look like Gabriel Luna. I cover things relating to AI and cybersecurity, topics that are increasingly converging.