Google has begun testing a new storage limit of 5GB for some newly created Gmail accounts, allowing users to unlock the standard 15GB by linking a phone number. Reports indicate that this testing phase has primarily affected users in African countries, although Google has not specified which regions are included. This move may aim to curtail the creation of multiple Gmail accounts for free cloud storage. Existing Gmail users with the standard 15GB storage should not experience any changes to their accounts. Additionally, Google’s support page recently updated its language to state “up to 15GB of storage,” suggesting the potential for a broader rollout of this change in the future.
Why It Matters
The introduction of a lower storage limit for new Gmail accounts reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to manage cloud storage usage and deter the practice of creating multiple accounts for free storage. Historically, Google has provided 15GB of free storage across its services, which has been a significant draw for users. By testing a reduced limit, the company may be responding to rising storage demands and the need to optimize resources. Should this change become standard, it could reshape user behavior regarding account creation and cloud storage utilization on the platform.
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