WhatsApp has officially declared the termination of Google’s unlimited cloud storage feature for the application’s backups on Google Drive.
According to WhatsApp’s statement, starting from the upcoming year, backups for the application will utilize storage space from users’ Google Drive accounts.
Prior to this decision, users could preserve complete backups of the application on Drive, regardless of the space consumed, without impacting their personal storage allocation on Drive.
Google grants users 15 gigabytes of free storage space on Google Drive. The company clarified that if the backup size of user data on WhatsApp surpasses the available free cloud storage, users will need to subscribe to one of the paid Google One plans.
This change will predominantly affect WhatsApp users on Android devices, as iOS users depend on Apple’s iCloud, which provides 5 gigabytes of free storage, with larger storage options available through monthly subscriptions.
Google specified that this adjustment will first be visible to WhatsApp Beta users starting December 2023 and gradually for all WhatsApp users from the onset of the following year.
Users retain control over available storage space through their accounts, utilizing a data management tool to dispose of any unnecessary large files.
This decision comes after around five years of collaboration between WhatsApp and Google, offering unlimited cloud storage on Drive for users of the instant messaging service. This partnership encouraged users to increasingly rely on cloud services for syncing and backing up their chat data.
Google is strategically aiming to drive users towards its paid Google One cloud service through specific decisions and measures.
In 2021, Google announced the discontinuation of its unlimited storage service for its Photos application. This move affected all Google services, from Gmail for email to Docs for document creation, and Drive for cloud storage, deducting from the available free space in Google accounts.
The company’s objective is to generate robust financial returns through its paid service Google One, which includes benefits such as freeing up and organizing photos on Google Photos for subscribers.
Leave a Reply