Updates to the Google One subscription service, announced today, mean automatic phone backups are now free for anyone with a Google account, even on iOS.
Google One launched in 2018 as a cloud storage subscription service for Google services (Gmail, Drive, Photos). There were a few additional perks included with the subscription, such as credits for Google Play and regular deals on hotels. Since then, it expanded to include Google Store deals, access to experts for help with Google products, and sharing storage with up to five family members. Automatic Android phone backups were introduced last year.
With the launch of a new Google One app, those automatic phone backups are no longer behind the subscription paywall. Google also decided to expand the backups to include iOS devices. You’ll be able to store photos, videos, contacts, and calendar events using the 15GB of free space provided by a Google account.
Alongside the new One app, Google is introducing a new storage manager that works in the app and on the web. It’s meant to give you “an easy way to see how you’re using your storage, and free up space,” as well as allowing you to, “keep the files you want, get rid of the ones you no longer need, and make room for more—all in one place.”
If 15GB of storage space isn’t enough, or you want access to the other available perks, upgrade to a 100GB subscription for $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year. There’s also a $30 200GB plan and a $100 2TB plan. All the options are available in the Google One app, which will be updated with the new features on Android “in the coming days.” Apple iOS users will have to wait a little bit longer for the One app to appear on the App Store.
