Survey shows users really miss phones with free, unlimited photo backups: Is Google listening?

The original Pixel series famously provided unlimited backups for photos and videos, a feature particularly loved by users like my colleague Hadlee Simons, who recently wrote about how he valued the ability to take pictures from his Pixel 4 without worrying about storage limitations. Much to everyone’s disappointment, Google axed this perk with the Pixel 6 in 2021.

With recent Pixels focusing on advanced camera capabilities and AI features, the lack of the unlimited backup option has left many users it comes with demanding features like Video Boost.

So we asked our readers if they would buy a phone that offered unlimited free photo backup. 82% of respondents expressed a willingness to purchase such a device in Android Authority’s survey. Only 15% of respondents indicated that their decision would depend on the specific phone model and its price, while a mere 3% were not interested at all, citing that existing cloud storage solutions are sufficient for their photo backup needs.

A reader commented on our survey, saying, “I’ll happily trade the free Pixel VPN access for free storage on Photos again.”

“Google Photos really needs an unlimited storage paid option,” said another.

A reader even suggested — “How about – give users the perk of 1 year of unlimited storage saver backups with purchase of a new Pixel. Then, allow them to *buy* another year of unlimited storage saver backups for an extra fee around 20 bucks or so. Both these options would backup storage saver photos that do not count toward storage. Google gets Pixel sales and revenue, customers get ability to pay for a year of unlimited storage saver Google photos backups. A win for both Google and consumers. And better than having to watch storage fill up.”

“I was hoping Google would be the unApple offering value without overcharging for everything. But Google seems to happy to be the Apple alternative following their very footsteps. If Google would push being a better value for the money bringing back the unlimited photo storage, it would give it a great market advantage. Imagine if they included earbuds and a charging stand like the original iPhone. These companies need to quit overcharging. Everyone needs to boycott these companies until they straighten up,” said another reader.

In summary, the results of the survey — which has received over 10,000 votes till now and counting — suggest a significant market opportunity for manufacturers like Google to return to its roots of offering free unlimited photo backups. It should also be a signal to other Android brands that can provide the feature as a competitive advantage.