Google is ready to roll out a controversial change for new Gmail account users.
The company is cutting the free cloud storage for new Gmail accounts from 15GB to 5GB.
However, to unlock 15GB of free storage, users must verify their phone numbers with their accounts.
The new update is currently being tested for limited regions, including several African countries.
New users who do not link their phone numbers will only be eligible for 5GB of free storage shared between Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos.
This policy has immediately backfired. According to industry analysts, the reason behind this move is twofold: first, to prevent spamming by assigning unique phone numbers to each user; second, to encourage more users to subscribe to Google One paid subscriptions.
Since 15 GB of storage is already difficult for some users, 5 GB will be too little.
How do you connect your phone number to your Gmail account?
If you’re using a computer, open a browser and go to your Google Account. Click on “personal information” in the menu on the left and scroll down to “contact information” and click on “phone”. Select “add recovery phone”. Enter phone number and confirm code received via SMS.
To link via Android/iPhone, open your device’s “Settings app”. Tap “Google” or “Manage your Google Account”. Select “Personal Information” at the top. Scroll to “Contact Information” and tap “Phone.” Enter your “password” to confirm and type “verification code” to confirm your phone number.
