Google One, the comprehensive subscription service offering additional cloud storage for Gmail, Google Photos, Drive, and more, has recently surpassed an impressive milestone of 100 million subscribers. This significant achievement occurred just a day after Google introduced Gemini Advanced, an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant supported by its potent foundational model, Gemini Ultra. Notably, the Gemini Advanced subscription is integrated with Google One, contributing substantially to the accelerated growth of Google One subscribers. The search engine giant has announced that Gemini Advanced will extend AI capabilities to various other services.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, shared this milestone through a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We’ve reached 100 million Google One subscribers! Excited to build on this momentum with our new AI Premium Plan (launched yesterday), offering advanced AI features like Gemini Advanced.” Pichai also disclosed that AI-based features would be incorporated into Gmail, Docs, and other services covered by the Google One subscription.
This accomplishment holds particular significance for Google, considering its decision to discontinue the free unlimited storage offer for Google Photos in 2021. Since then, the company has actively encouraged users to opt for the paid subscription. Surpassing 100 million subscribers in under four years underscores the perceived value of Google One.
Comparatively, this achievement gains prominence when contrasted with Google’s YouTube paid subscriptions. Recently, Google reached 100 million subscribers on the platform, encompassing both YouTube Premium and YouTube Music subscribers. Notably, this milestone took nine years to achieve since the introduction of the paid tier for YouTube in October 2015 (YouTube Red).
In India, Google One’s monthly subscriptions start at Rs. 130 for 100GB of combined storage space, inclusive of some AI-based photo editing features, albeit not powered by Gemini. The premium plan, offering 2TB of storage space, is priced at Rs. 650 per month. The Gemini Advanced subscription plan, known as Google One AI Premium, is available at Rs. 1,950 per month.
In summary, Google One’s remarkable success, particularly in the context of the evolving landscape of cloud services and AI integration, is evident in its rapid growth and the introduction of advanced features such as Gemini Advanced.