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Regular post registration suddenly turned into a check of trust boundaries.
Google began to check how Gmail users are ready to exchange part of the privacy for the usual amount of free storage. The company is testing a new scheme for fresh accounts, where without a tied phone number is not available 15 GB, but only 5 GB.
The experiment was first written by the publication Android Authority, citing a screenshot published by Reddit under the nickname “sungusungu”. In the image, Google proposed to expand the free space to the standard 15 GB after adding a phone number to the account.
Later, Google confirmed to the Android Authority that the experiment is really taking place in certain regions and concerns new accounts. The company explained that the new policy will help maintain the quality of cloud storage, and at the same time push users to settings that simplify the protection of the profile and restore access.
The discussion on Reddit quickly went down to privacy. Some users decided that Google is looking for another way to collect more data. Other participants in the dispute suggested that the binding of the number helps to combat spam and the massive creation of mailboxes.
Android Authority author Akshai Gangwar tried to create a new Gmail account, but Google did not allow to continue registering without a phone number. At the same time, its old additional account without a tied number still displayed 15 GB of free space.
So far, we are not talking about a full-fledged launch, but only about the test. Google has not announced global changes, and the company’s help page still indicates that each account receives 15 GB for free. Therefore, the owners of already created mailboxes, judging by the available data, the cutting of the storage is not yet threatened.
Google began to check how Gmail users are ready to exchange part of the privacy for the usual amount of free storage. The company is testing a new scheme for fresh accounts, where without a tied phone number is not available 15 GB, but only 5 GB.
The experiment was first written by the publication Android Authority, citing a screenshot published by Reddit under the nickname “sungusungu”. In the image, Google proposed to expand the free space to the standard 15 GB after adding a phone number to the account.
Later, Google confirmed to the Android Authority that the experiment is really taking place in certain regions and concerns new accounts. The company explained that the new policy will help maintain the quality of cloud storage, and at the same time push users to settings that simplify the protection of the profile and restore access.
The discussion on Reddit quickly went down to privacy. Some users decided that Google is looking for another way to collect more data. Other participants in the dispute suggested that the binding of the number helps to combat spam and the massive creation of mailboxes.
Android Authority author Akshai Gangwar tried to create a new Gmail account, but Google did not allow to continue registering without a phone number. At the same time, its old additional account without a tied number still displayed 15 GB of free space.
So far, we are not talking about a full-fledged launch, but only about the test. Google has not announced global changes, and the company’s help page still indicates that each account receives 15 GB for free. Therefore, the owners of already created mailboxes, judging by the available data, the cutting of the storage is not yet threatened.
