Cloud-based storage is a hot commodity these days, with major players jumping in on what seems like a daily basis. Google has finally unveiled its cloud based data-storage service, and looks to firmly plant itself in the top position.
THE PRODUCT
What exactly distinguishes Google Drive from the competition? Is the future of Dropbox, one of the first could based storage clients released for Android, in danger? The answer is a resounding yes. Google Drive offers the same functionality as Dropbox and its other competitors, but also brings to the table easy integration with other Google products. Google’s quest to integrate every aspect of our computing lives into their own products continues, and that is one of the biggest reasons why Google Drive looks to be a success.
google drive
If you are a Google Docs user, you can seamlessly transfer your documents over to your Drive account, then choose to share them with other Drive users or post directly to your Google+ feed. Ready to show your friends that new video you just made, but the file is too large to e-mail? No problem. Just share it on Drive, and they can access the video from wherever they can access their Drive account. Or maybe you have received a lot of large e-mails in the paste, and have them all saved on your Gmail account? A few clicks and Google will transfer them to Drive. As it has for years, using one Google product will make it a lot easier for you to just use ALL Google products.
THE COMPETITION
Maybe you aren’t already a Google products user. You might have a Dropbox account already, or you have no cloud based storage at all and are looking for the best available option. Either way, with the introduction of Google Drive, the consumer is most definitely the winner. Dropbox offers 2 GB of free storage, while Google Drive offers 5GB. As far as premium pricing plans, Google Drive is less than half the price offered by Dropbox, for example: 100GB through Drive is only $4.99 per month, while Dropbox charges a whopping $19.99 per month. As of writing, the only real advantage that Dropbox has is the ability to share a file from your cloud via a public link that anyone can access. This eliminates the need for the recipient to have a Dropbox account to download or view the file, while they will need to login to their Google account to view a shared file on Drive.
THE BATTLE
The cloud storage battle is about to heat up. These products will continue to improve for all users, both in innovations and in pricing. Google Drive enters as a rookie, but plays like a veteran. Who will be the next competitor to take a swing?
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