Overview
- Google confirmed Friday to Android Authority that it is testing a new storage policy for new accounts in select regions to protect service quality and security.
- In the tested signup flow, new users see 5GB of free space with a prompt to add a phone number to unlock the full 15GB at no charge.
- Coverage places the trial in parts of Africa such as Kenya and Nigeria, and reports state that existing Google accounts are not affected.
- Google’s support pages quietly changed in March to say accounts come with “up to 15 GB,” a wording shift first visible in the Wayback Machine on March 18.
- Users who decline phone verification keep 5GB, which could steer some toward paid Google One plans, though that outcome is speculative.