Yesterday we were hit with Google’s new Photos storage policy, upsetting everyone. The small glimmer of light in the news was the fact that Pixel devices up to the current Pixel (Pixel 5) would continue to receive the unlimited high quality storage. Unfortunately that all stops with the Pixel 5 with future Pixel smartphones excluded from the unlimited deal according to a n ew report out today..
According to Android Central, and with what we can see as no evidence or quotation at all, all future Pixel smartphones will arrive with the same 15GB of storage per account like every single Android device. We wonder whether they have interpreted Google’s Blog that way themselves or whether they have received a statement from Google themselves but there is no attribution to the comment on their website.
If you cannot tell from the above wording, we are sceptical about this report until we hear something from Google themselves but the seed of doubt has been sown. We thought that Google’s change in policy was a way to push the attractiveness of Pixel smartphones to consumers and it may still be. If this report turns out to be true, and we have little reason to think Android Central would make it up, then Pixel phones will be subject to the same limitations of every other Android smartphone.
Remember, not just photos apply to your 15GB storage but also files and documents so although Google say that 15GB will store approximately three years worth of photos it could disappear a lot sooner than that.
Hopefully Google continue this perk for Pixel phones in the future because it is one of the best reasons to buy a Pixel smartphone.
I got around this problem by not using Google Drive for photos. I subscribe to Microsoft 365 Family so I use OneDrive’s included 1TB of storage for photos. Works out cheaper than paying for 1TB of Google One.
Yes, that’s what I’m thinking of doing too.
Google confirmed it to Android Police. No reason to buy Pixel anymore after Pixel 5.