Recent Google phones like the Pixel 9 series are better all-round flagship phones than the Snapdragon-powered Pixels of bygone years. Sure, earlier Pixels had more reliable connectivity and top-notch performance at the time, but recent models offer loads of AI features, competitive camera hardware, large batteries, and a more solid all-around body.
However, there’s one thing I miss about the first Pixel phones that I’d love to see on upcoming models like the Pixel 10 series, and that’s unlimited Google Photos backups.
Would you buy a phone if it had free unlimited photo backups?
0 votes
The best Pixel perk ever?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Google first offered unlimited Photos backups on the original Pixel back in 2016, delivering unlimited original-quality photo and video backups. This benefit was tweaked from the Pixel 2 series onwards, as Google offered unlimited high-quality (i.e. compressed) backups instead. Unfortunately, this perk died with the launch of the Pixel 6 in 2021. Meanwhile, Google also offered that same unlimited high-quality backups for all users (regardless of device) up until 2021, too, before transitioning to just 15GB of Google One storage. However, old Pixels were exempt from these changes, effectively gaining unlimited backups in perpetuity.
I used the Pixel 4 as my secondary device in 2019 and 2020 and experienced this feature first-hand. It was a wonderful addition because it meant I obviously didn’t have to worry about paying a subscription fee for cloud storage of my device photos.
The demise of unlimited Google Photos storage actually changed the way I use my Pixel phone's camera.
A big reason why I miss unlimited Google Photos backups is that I didn’t have any of the storage-related anxiety that I now have when taking pictures and videos on my Pixel 7 Pro. This downgrade has changed the way I use my phone camera, such as shooting in 1080p instead of 4K, for one. I also find myself thinking twice about whether I really need to shoot a video in the first place, lest I fill up my storage fast.
At the time, unlimited Google Photos storage complemented the Pixel line’s class-leading smartphone photography, too. And I’d argue that unlimited backups would be an even better addition to modern Pixels owing to their more powerful camera systems and storage-demanding features like Video Boost. This perk is even more important in 2024 as the Pixel 9 series ships with just 128GB of storage, meaning you’ll have to offload to the cloud more often than even some cheap phones.
And even if the Pixel 10 series moves up to 256GB of base storage, unlimited Google Photos backups would still be a handy feature that would bring me and my trigger-happy photography love plenty of peace of mind.
Unlimited Google Photos storage is a pipe dream
Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Unfortunately, I highly doubt that Google will ever resurrect unlimited Photos backups for future Pixel phones. For one, data storage is very expensive at this scale. XDA-Developers used some simple math to suggest that Google could be paying $318 million on storage for its two billion users (assuming 15GB of storage each), compared to $6.2 million for 10 million users in 2012. These figures don’t tell us the whole story, as there are plenty of other variables, but they certainly give us an idea of the dizzying scale of modern storage requirements.
It almost goes without saying that Google’s business model with Google Photos and cloud storage in general was to start off cheap or even free to capture users (and their photo data) and then lock them in. In fact, the company has been very stingy with Google One storage upgrades over the years, as it’s offered 100GB of cloud storage for $1.99 a month since 2014.
This stingy approach is also seen with the company offering free six-month or one-year Google One AI Premium 2TB plans with the purchase of Pixel 9 phones. This sounds generous at first glance, but what happens when your free trial period elapses? Well, you have to delete files or pay up. It’s another case of locking in users.
I hope Google surprises us (but I wouldn’t bet on it)
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
I’m 99.9999% certain that Google will never revive unlimited Photos backups on Pixel phones owing to the aforementioned data storage costs and its own business strategy. That doesn’t change the fact that this is still a feature I sorely miss on modern Pixels and that I would personally pay a small premium for.
In fact, I’d argue that a Pixel 10 series with unlimited backups would significantly increase Google’s current miniscule smartphone market share. For now, though? I guess we just have to take those bundled free cloud memberships when we can.
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