After its VPN, Google One could also now get more visually creative
Some Google Photos features may soon be subscriber-only
After announcing the free availability of its own VPN solution last month, Google has now been revealed that Google One subscribers will soon gain access to a greater range of photo editing features. Although details are thin on the ground currently, it does seem as though Google is trying to find new ways to monetize its services.
Now, reports have claimed that lines of code included within the latest Google Photos update suggest that free users may soon have to get used to an inferior experience compared with paid subscribers.
As well as code snippets that say things like, “Get extra editing features with a Google One membership,” it would appear that a small number of Google Photos users are already finding that certain features are behind a Google One paywall.
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In response to the reports, Google has reassured free users that they will continue to have access to all of the Photos features that they have grown accustomed to.
However, it does seem that new features, or enhanced versions of existing ones, will soon become exclusively available to Google One members.
All in one
Google One is a paid subscription service that promises more storage, industry-leading security and more complete backup options as part of one shareable plan. It starts at just $1.99 a month, which includes 100GB of cloud storage, but increases to $9.99 for individuals that need as much as 2TB of storage.
Interestingly, Google confirmed last month that subscribers to the 2TB plan would also gain access to a built-in Google One VPN service. While not exactly free, it does provide another incentive for users of Google’s services to sign up for a monthly payment plan.
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Via The Verge
Barclay has been writing about technology for a decade, starting out as a freelancer with ITProPortal covering everything from London’s start-up scene to comparisons of the best cloud storage services. After that, he spent some time as the managing editor of an online outlet focusing on cloud computing, furthering his interest in virtualization, Big Data, and the Internet of Things.