WhatsApp used to let Android users save their chats on Google Drive for free, without using up their free storage.
However, this is changing soon. If you use an Android phone, starting in the first part of this year, the storage space for your WhatsApp chats will be part of your Google Drive storage limit.
Currently, all users have 15GB of free space on Google Drive, but with WhatsApp backups counting in this 15GB, it might fill up quickly because these backups also include photos.
For Indian users, there’s some good news – Google One plans are currently available with a discount of more than 70%. Google One is the subscription service for Google Drive.
Here’s a breakdown of the discounted plans
1) The cheapest plan in India is usually Rs 130 per month, but under a limited-time offer, it’s available for just Rs 35 per month. After the offer ends, the price will go back to Rs 130 per month.
2) The 200GB plan is discounted to Rs 50 per month for three months, and then it goes back to the regular price of Rs 210 per month.
3) The 2TB plan is available for Rs 160 per month for three months instead of the usual Rs 650 per month. After the offer period, it returns to Rs 650 per month.
This limited offer is a way for new users to enjoy the benefits of Google One at a lower cost.
Google Drive plans in India start at 100GB for Rs 130 per month, and with this special offer, users can get it for Rs 35 for the first three months.
The offer is only for those who haven’t subscribed to Google One before.
Additionally, WhatsApp has announced that starting in 2024, users’ storage quota will count towards their Google Drive account.
Previously, WhatsApp backups on Google Drive didn’t affect storage space, but this is changing.
This shift might encourage more people to opt for paid Google Drive storage. The timing of Google One’s special offer aligns with this significant change in WhatsApp’s backup policy.
The change is currently in the testing phase for WhatsApp beta users and may soon roll out to all users.
