WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Meta, has recently announced that it will no longer provide unlimited chat backups on Google Drive for users who have signed up for beta updates. This change applies to Android smartphone users and brings their experience in line with iOS users.
Previously, WhatsApp and Google offered unlimited chat backups that did not count towards users’ Google Drive storage quota. However, last November, the companies announced their decision to discontinue this feature. The update was initially planned to roll out to beta testers in December of the same year and to all users in the first half of 2024.
Beta testers on Android devices have already started to experience the removal of unlimited chat backups. A banner appears in the app’s settings under Chats, notifying users of the upcoming change. Within 30 days, the backups will start to count towards users’ Google Drive storage quota. However, it is important to note that not all beta testers have seen this message, indicating that the change may be rolling out in batches.
In the near future, the removal of unlimited chat backups is expected to affect all WhatsApp users on Android smartphones, not just beta testers. While there is no official timeline for the widespread implementation of this change, it is anticipated to occur sometime in the coming weeks or months.
WhatsApp’s previous offering of unlimited chat backups on Google Drive put it ahead of competitors in terms of free cloud storage. While Google provided 15GB of free storage, Apple and Microsoft only offered 5GB. With the removal of unlimited backups, WhatsApp’s Android users will have to consider managing their storage more carefully.
This move from WhatsApp coincides with Google’s overall strategy to limit access to free storage on its cloud services. In February 2022, Google ended support for unlimited “original” photo backups for Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL owners, years after the phones were launched. Additionally, in 2020, the company discontinued unlimited and free photo backups for all users due to the overwhelming number of uploads.
WhatsApp’s decision to discontinue unlimited chat backups on Google Drive for Android users marks a significant change in its storage policy. This shift aligns the experiences of Android and iOS users and prompts users to manage their Google Drive storage more effectively. As Google continues to tighten its restrictions on free storage, users will need to consider alternative methods for managing their digital assets.
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