Some longtime Google customers are going through a tough transition. Within the early days of Google’s business-focused productiveness service—first known as “Google Apps for Your Area” then “G Suite” and now “Google Workspace”—Google supplied domain-branded Google “enterprise” accounts for free. From 2006 to 2012, customers might make a free Google Apps/G Suite account with a {custom} area, so their electronic mail ended with a site they owned, as a substitute of “@gmail.com.” In January, Google introduced a significant policy change and advised these customers they wanted to begin paying the usual enterprise charge for his or her Google accounts or face an account shutdown. It is an unfair rug pull for customers who arrange a free account years in the past with no warning that Google may ultimately cost for it. These persons are in deep, with all information, emails, and purchases saved on these accounts, and it appears like information extortion to all of a sudden inform them to pay up or lose every thing.
Google later relented considerably and supplied a vague escape hatch possibility, promising that sometime these “Legacy G Suite” customers might port their information and purchases to a free client Gmail account—with the caveat that Google will not host their custom-domain electronic mail anymore. Most of the necessary particular particulars of this transition plan are usually not public but, however what is particular is the deadline for fee and account shutdowns, and customers are simply left to flap within the breeze whereas their anxiousness builds.
A key downside is that Google truly stopped pitching custom-domain electronic mail to customers, and now these Legacy G Suite customers haven’t any apparent improve path. Prior to now, there was nothing incorrect with utilizing Google Apps/G Suite for non-business functions, and Google even inspired it. Simply take a look at the unique Google Apps for Your Area blog post, which says Google launched the service after “listening to suggestions from hundreds of small companies, Okay-12 faculties, nonprofits, universities, even households with their very own web sites.” Google inspired households to make use of this, and now it is telling these households they’re companies.
My query is, why does this must be so arduous? Here is an concept: Provide a Google Workspace (or Google One) “household plan” that helps a {custom} area at an affordable client charge. This is not a loopy concept as a result of all of Google’s rivals already provide this. In my conversations with varied folks affected by the coverage change, free G Suite customers aren’t essentially miffed about paying for a {custom} electronic mail area. Nonetheless, they usually aren’t companies and do not need to pay enterprise charges for G Suite.
Microsoft / Ron Amadeo
Let’s evaluate what Google is providing to the competitors. Google Workspace’s closest competitor is Workplace 365, and in addition to the enterprise choices, Microsoft presents a “Microsoft 365 Family” plan. That is $100 per 12 months for a six-person household. It has 1TB of cloud storage per person, a 50GB inbox, entry to all of the Microsoft Workplace apps, and, critically, {custom} area electronic mail accounts. Even utilizing the most cost effective “Business Starter” plan, Google Workspace is $6 monthly per person. If we match Microsoft’s six person, one-year providing, that is $432 per 12 months, and that is solely with 30GB of cloud storage per person. With 2TB of cloud storage per person, the following tier up is $12 per person, monthly, or $864 per 12 months.
Apple’s comparable product is the iCloud+ subscription, which also offers {custom} area electronic mail help, beginning at $1 per person monthly. That is six occasions lower than what Google prices, and Apple is providing 20GB extra per person—50GB whole. For six folks, that will be $72 per 12 months, whereas Google would cost $432 per 12 months for a decrease storage tier.
