A recent update has surfaced concerning Google’s policy on storage for new users. Reports suggest that Google might be decreasing the free storage allocated to new accounts from 15GB to 5GB unless users associate a phone number. This alteration seems to be part of a trial in which users who submit a phone number during registration can still receive the full 15GB of storage. The modification was initially spotted by a Reddit user who found that without linking a phone number, only 5GB of complimentary storage was accessible.
Google has refreshed its support webpage to incorporate this possible change, modifying the phrase from “15GB free” to “up to 15GB” of complimentary storage. This action corresponds with Google’s requirement for phone numbers during account setup, which is generally utilized to authenticate user identity and deter the abuse of free storage provisions.
Although Google has not officially validated this modification, the revision in storage policy might be a tactic to motivate more users to link their phone numbers, thereby ensuring that the free storage perk is granted only once per individual. This shift also occurs at a moment when Google has amplified storage for paying Google AI Pro users to 5TB, indicating a transition towards monetizing storage services.
The decrease in free storage could be perceived as an effort to prompt users to choose paid storage plans, though it may also serve as a strategy to limit the misuse of free storage and the establishment of bot accounts. At this point, it is unclear how this change will be enacted across all new accounts and if it will establish itself as a permanent policy.