Google Photos unlimited high quality storage to end next June

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From 1st June 2021 any new photos uploaded will count against your account quota.

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Read more.

Was awaiting this to be fair....
As per some people abused it - the way of the world in 2020

Well, damn. Another thing I don't use gets restricted. However will I manage without? ;)

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Originally Posted by Saracen999

Well, damn. Another thing I don't use gets restricted. However will I manage without? ;)

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The same way that I will, perfectly well.

I'm in two minds with this....
On the one hand it's kind of expected (got this vague memory of it being 2 years only too...), on the other hand I'm like, considering how much data mining google does with android etc the least they can do is give us free photo storage...

Not that I use it but still annoying for those that do.

Another Google service fades away, hot on the heels of Google Cloud Print - and Google wonder why the wise aren’t flocking to the Stadia gaming platform.

WAIT........I can *simply* create multiple Gmail accounts.

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Originally Posted by LSG501

I'm in two minds with this....
On the one hand it's kind of expected (got this vague memory of it being 2 years only too...), on the other hand I'm like, considering how much data mining google does with android etc the least they can do is give us free photo storage...

Not that I use it but still annoying for those that do.

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They do still give free photo storage, just 15gb of it rather than unlimited. 15gb is a lot of photos.

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Originally Posted by KultiVator

Another Google service fades away, hot on the heels of Google Cloud Print - and Google wonder why the wise aren’t flocking to the Stadia gaming platform.

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Google Photos isn't going, neither is the free part. Stadia is not very good though.

I really don't like Google but lets not interpret this as something it isn't.

That's an unsurprising bummer. I've been using it for years as a free place to store the bulk of my photos... Guess I'll have to either start paying for iCloud or commit to local storage.

I've been using this free storage as a great way of backing up my phone snaps without worry (It really is click and forget). I pay for 200Gb on Google one (what was Google drive) for other stuff so this won't affect me for a while but disappointing as this will push me closer to having to upgrade to the next tier. My wife does the same...

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Originally Posted by towell

That's an unsurprising bummer. I've been using it for years as a free place to store the bulk of my photos... Guess I'll have to either start paying for iCloud or commit to local storage.

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There are other services with a much better reputation for both security and privacy .... but you pay for them. For instance, £1.15/month for 10GB if you are a NordVPN user. Not that iCloud has the data-mining and AI-scanning Google do, or the size limits (16MB per image). Of course, that size limit might be enough for most users but not for a lot of DSLR users.

Personally, I just find it easier, and certainly more secure/private, to keep my images locally. Admittedly, I have pretty secure hardware to do it anyway, or other reasons, but it's not that expensive to buy something almost bulletproof for image files that are added to, but where archived images are unchanging. I use MO and phase change drives, because I already have them, on top of normal backups, but even a Bluray writer and carefully stored discs is pretty solid and reliable. Note though .... "carefully store" for purely optical media.

Personally, and I get that not everybody would agree, I'd rather pay for a secure and private service than use "free" services, if I wanted my photos (or other files) in the cloud at all. Which I don't, but that's just me.

Typical Google really, Amazon Prime still has unlimited original quality photo backup for now so not too worried, I guess I'll get to train their AI some more.

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Originally Posted by Saracen999

There are other services with a much better reputation for both security and privacy .... but you pay for them. For instance, £1.15/month for 10GB if you are a NordVPN user. Not that iCloud has the data-mining and AI-scanning Google do, or the size limits (16MB per image). Of course, that size limit might be enough for most users but not for a lot of DSLR users.

Personally, I just find it easier, and certainly more secure/private, to keep my images locally. Admittedly, I have pretty secure hardware to do it anyway, or other reasons, but it's not that expensive to buy something almost bulletproof for image files that are added to, but where archived images are unchanging. I use MO and phase change drives, because I already have them, on top of normal backups, but even a Bluray writer and carefully stored discs is pretty solid and reliable. Note though .... "carefully store" for purely optical media.

Personally, and I get that not everybody would agree, I'd rather pay for a secure and private service than use "free" services, if I wanted my photos (or other files) in the cloud at all. Which I don't, but that's just me.

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I couldn't find anything about that offer and I use NordVPN

It's inevitable. Nothing comes free and now Google decides to monetise

According to Google photo I have only used over 1gb of data for 8 years worth of photo. It's not impacting me much.

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Originally Posted by 3dcandy

I couldn't find anything about that offer and I use NordVPN

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I'm nof on the right machine to recall the page with the deal but it was there, and active, earlier today. It might be an option when you take out a VPN account but not if you alrready have one. When I get on the right machine with details, I'll drop you a note. From memory, it was a November offer.

Damn that sucks but I'm not surprised it was coming

This is one google "service" i do not use, my phone also dont use any sync anything to whatever, so when i get a new phone i have to enter manually the 10 or so contacts i care about.
Also dont sync with my computer as why the hell would i want to do that.

After data mining for 10 years (illegally) their image processing algorithm is 'complete'

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Originally Posted by Saracen999

I'm nof on the right machine to recall the page with the deal but it was there, and active, earlier today. It might be an option when you take out a VPN account but not if you alrready have one. When I get on the right machine with details, I'll drop you a note. From memory, it was a November offer.

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Cheers - I've found nordlocker but that's erm $3.99 a month but gives you 500gb!

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Originally Posted by 3dcandy

Cheers - I've found nordlocker but that's erm $3.99 a month but gives you 500gb!

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Depend how much you need, then. That's obviously far cheaper per GB, but if 10GB is enough, then that's a fair bit more expensive.

The offer quotes £6.15/month normal, £1.15/m on offer, and says 81% saving. Of course, these "savings" are always "compared to what", exactly. They may have a 24/7/365 "offer" compared to "regular" pricing.

It's always about what you pay, rather than what you notionally save, innit?

All companies are looking for making extra money and people will pay it . With billions android users even 1 dollar/pound per month makes crazy amount