Google Productivity Apps - Paywall?

[Piper123]

Are Google looking to put more of their software into a subscription based package?

https://www.androidpolice.com/google-is-locking-its-best-productivity-tools-behind-a-20-paywall/

[Star_girl]

I think there is a niche of people who are using more advanced features on a daily basis and a niche of people who are using advanced features more like a on and off, while most people need features like Google cloud to keep things going on a daily basis. I already paid 200 MB of email storage last year and i am looking forward to have to declutter my email box again, the extra storage wasn't cheap and in a way I think it's just a gimmick to keep the company going... like why would they charge for email storage? Seems a bit excessive to me.
I would find it more convenient and customer friendly to be able to pay tailored features packages according to each niche of customers while for others to be able to purchase a certain feature when we need it with no strings attached afterwards and also if the prices would be responsible and not a rip off would be good too. This way there would be more freedom for customers and we wouldn't have to pay features we don't need or that we don't use very often. I know Google has a scheme that is paid feature by feature but to be honest there are many apps that I pay for overall and I lost count of them because I can't find them in a organised place.

[smiley]

I used to have an installed Microsoft Office licence on my old home pc... that was until I sold it. When I got a new PC I was faced with the choice of buying a new office licence, using Microsoft 365 monthly, or trying out alternatives.

Initially I tried 365 for a few months as there was a trial period, but then realised that Google Sheets, Slides and Docs would serve 95% of my purpose with these most popular apps.

I must admit I dont have much need for office type activity from home, but for the odd letter or a financial calculation, the Google apps work well.

It also has a convenience to save directly to Google drive and easily share amongst friends and family.

I know there is a Google workspace that is by subscription and more business orientated.

I hope these basic apps by Google dont ultimately end up a pay service. I guess a few quid a month is less of a concern, but if it goes to a price similar to Microsoft365 then I might be looking for alternatives again ! 🤔

Smiley

[Obsydian]

Its all for profit, corporations only obey corporate greed, this has always been the way, so no surprise, but a reminder all corporations are the same.

They after we pay, they still want more, until no one wants to pay, then they just sell your data or bombard you with advertising.

I think the ad model is sadly the future.