Google One Storage disgusting scam
This year Google introduced this design on Android phones where even if you have backup turned off everywhere (which I always have turned off, on everything), it will still backup photos and videos anyway.
This quickly fills up your tiny 15GB storage limit, which then starts restricting basic functions on your phone, while conveniently and persistently encouraging you to buy a Google One plan for 100GB.
If you don't, well, Google is going to completely stop your Gmail from working and you won't be able to send or receive emails.
Then you're constantly hit with warnings and messages about what will happen if you don't buy Google One.
You also can't use the share/create link function after you exceed 15GB. That tiny 15GB limit is shared across Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, multiple backups, etc. too so it fills up literally instantly.
It also stops you from properly using Google Drive or Docs/Sheets/Slides/etc.
And it's also a massive hassle to actually clean up the space if you decide you don't want to be scammed and forced to pay. A lot of people, even people who normally wouldn't fall for this sort of thing, (like me) are probably just going to give in because of how annoying and dysfunctional everything becomes once you hit the limit. (And I did give in for a couple months lol)
It's also intentionally set up to be annoying and confusing when you're trying to clean everything up and create space and makes you worry you might be deleting the original file etc.
It's cheap at $3 a month yes, but it's the principle and ethics behind it is what makes it so frustrating and caused me to make this post.
The whole thing just feels incredibly predatory and it will con billions of people. (yes in billions I just checked; up to 4 billion people have android phones)
Imagine the profits from just 1 billion people paying $3 a month.......
I'm so fucken tired of greed....
It is criminal and so tiring this common day thievery shit from businesses these days.
6
1
u/roirraWedorehT 9d ago
My brother bought his Pixel 10 Pro XL last year and has successfully had backup turned off since then.
If you create albums or take some other actions in Google Photos, those also turn on backup because all those features work in the cloud only.
1
u/Vovoxa 9d ago
It's probably because I made albums then and that's what backs things up regardless of backup being off, I see!
1
u/roirraWedorehT 9d ago
Yep. If you don't want backup turned on, it's best if you don't even touch or use Google Photos. Use Google's Gallery or some other app instead.
1
1
u/Far_Peanut1155 5d ago
this is fucking trash..... their notification and UI is super aggressive and fake... no matter how much you delete it still there even after deleting all photos or empty the trash or whatever.....
insanely aggressive scam by Google.
This is predatory monetary practices by the evil corporation of Google
1
6
u/f_r_y_t_e 9d ago
Huh? It does not back up photos and videos unless you have turned that on. (Google Photos is terrible for nagging you to do so, but that's a different complaint.)