Subscribers to the paid tiers of Google Drive will soon see a new service take its place. Google One is the name, and it includes some smart new features. Here's what you need to know.
If you currently pay for additional storage on Google Drive, then you may be in for a pleasant surprise as the service is being upgraded and renamed to Google One. You'll get extra features, the ability to share them with family members and even a helpline.
Here we'll explain what Google One has to offer and when you can expect it to arrive.
Is Google Drive going away?
Not entirely. If you use the free version of Google Drive, which currently offers 15GB of storage, then you’ll continue to do so with no changes. Google One is only for paid storage options. When the new service is rolled out it will take over the duties previously fulfilled by Drive, with a few extra things included.
One thing to note: Google One is for consumers. If you're using a business account, the G-Suite services will continue as they are on your existing plan.
Google says it is working towards bringing One to customers using the free tier of Drive, but for the initial rollout, One will be just for paying subscribers.
One of the most important elements of cloud storage is, of course, space. So Google One will have more storage options that range from 100GB to 30TB, with a new 200GB option that’s sure to attract a lot of interest.
These can be shared between yourself and up to five other family members, with everyone receiving their own private storage space.
Google also states that users will receive bonuses such as Google Play credits and deals on certain hotels if you find them through Google search, all of which again can be shared among the family.
Finally, there’s the option to get help from ‘Google experts’ by using the one-tap help button. All included in the price.
How much does it cost?
At the moment, details are a little thin on the ground, with prices for known only in US dollars.
The 100GB plan will cost $1.99 each month, increasing to $2.99 for 200GB, and $9.99 for 2TB. One bit of good news is that those with a 1TB plan will be automatically upgraded to the 2TB option.
At the current exchange rate, these prices translate almost exactly into the existing costs for Google Drive in the UK. So we’d expect to see 100GB at £1.59, the new 200GB tier coming in at around £2.49, with the 2TB option costing £7.99.
When will Google One be available?
Google announced the new service back in May, but it is yet to see the light of day. The official Google One site states that the product is ‘coming soon’ and you can sign up for updates on when the service will be available.
Initially Google One will be for US customers only, but the company states that it intends to make it more widely available in the coming months.
In the meantime, if you’re thinking of upgrading or changing your online backup plans, then take a look at our Best cloud storage guide to see what the competition has to offer.
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