Google’s One subscription service is a bit weird in the Google family of products. Launched in 2018, it launched as a premium, consumer-friendly ‘upgrade’ to the tech giant’s Google Drive paid storage plans, giving subscribers more cloud storage (up to 30TB) along with some useful extras, like exclusive discounts, premium support and multi-user family plans.
In September 2019, Google added an additional benefit to the service, offering automatic phone backups for users who pay with Android, and today, the company has announced that this function is being done for free, while it also extends to iPhone and iPad owners.
In a new blog post, the search giant has revealed that it is launching a new Google One mobile app that will allow users of both platforms to back up their phones for free, even if they are not subscribers of Google One. All you need to do is download the free app and sign in with a Google account.
Backups will include files, text messages, photos, videos, contacts, and email, all of which are visible in one place.
However, there is a caveat: Free tier storage is limited to 15GB – the standard amount of Google Drive storage you get with a free Google account. Users who find they need more than this should sign up for a paid plan, which starts at $ 1.99 / £ 1.99 / AU $ 4.39 per month.
Apple also offers built-in backup capabilities for iPhones and iPads through its iCloud storage service, though the latter only includes 5GB of space for free.
Storage Advantages
Along with the new app, Google has added a storage manager role to the service, which is being implemented in both the desktop web interface and the mobile app.
According to Google, the new feature will help users see how much free storage space is available and add / remove files without leaving the app. The option to upgrade to a paid plan will also be available in the storage manager.
Being a paid One subscriber offers benefits: For example, a single plan can be shared with up to five users through the family exchange and opens doors to premium customer service from the Internet company.
In some markets, such as Australia, you’ll also get bonus credits that you can redeem in apps on the Play Store, get discounts when you buy from the Google Store online, and also enjoy special prices on hotel reservations made through Google Search.
The new Google One app is now available to download from the Play Store, and Google has stated that the iOS version “will be coming soon.”
