Google is quietly testing a reduced free‑storage tier for some new Google accounts, offering only 5GB of cloud space by default unless users link a verified phone number. For years, every new Google account has included 15GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, but that baseline now appears to be conditional in certain regions.
Users creating new accounts in parts of Africa and other selected markets report seeing prompts during setup that state the account comes with 5GB of storage, then offer to “unlock 15GB storage at no cost by using your phone number.” The wording in these screens indicates that Google will use the phone number to ensure the 15GB allotment is added only once per person, a move the company frames as an anti‑abuse measure.
Existing Google accounts are unaffected by the change and retain their current storage allocation, while some new‑account sign‑ups in other regions still receive 15GB without needing to provide a phone number. Google has told media outlets that it is running a regional experiment for new accounts, aimed at maintaining a high‑quality storage service while encouraging users to improve account security and data recovery through phone verification.
The shift aligns with a broader trend of tightening free tiers and nudging users toward verified identities. Google has been gradually requiring phone‑number verification during account creation for many users, and the altered wording on its help pages now describing “up to 15GB” of free storage instead of a flat 15GB further suggests a move toward a more conditional free tier.
Read Article: Microsoft Warns of Actively Exploited Exchange Server Zero-Day Affecting OWA
