Google Takes Free Gigabytes Away from Users Without a Phone Number
Google is quietly running a test: new accounts that skip adding a phone number get only 5 GB of free cloud storage instead of the old 15 GB. Company spokespeople say the goal is to limit bots and throwaway profiles — a defensive move, they claim. Existing accounts won't see their quotas reduced.
This matters more than it might seem in some places. For about two years now, tying a Russian phone number to a new Google account has been effectively impossible, i.e., people there can’t easily meet the new test’s implicit requirement. The result: a practical squeeze on storage for those affected (and yes, that feels unfair).
Separately, Google revealed a successor to the Chromebook called Googlebook. Think of it as a hybrid device running Android + ChromeOS with tighter AI hooks — Gemini and DeepMind’s Magic Pointer (an AI cursor for contextual hints) are built in. First partners: ASUS, Dell, HP; first shipments are slated for autumn 2026. FYI: the emphasis is on on-device assistance and context-aware UI, not just a faster browser.