Data privacy

Google announces free VPN for Pixel 7 owners

Google says users of the VPN service will benefit from enhanced security and privacy.
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Francis Scialabba

· 3 min read

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Google announced at the launch event for its new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro devices that it will offer a free virtual private network (VPN) service to all owners of the new phones—a first for the company, which has previously bundled VPNs with paid subscriptions.

TechCrunch reported that Google previously offered a persistent VPN as part of its Google Fi wireless service or its Google One cloud storage at the 2-terabyte tier ($9.99 a month). Now, it’s available at no cost to owners of future Pixel devices—with Google stating it won’t associate app or browser data sent via the VPN with user accounts.

VPNs work by encrypting web traffic and routing it through a third-party server, preventing snooping. Or that’s how it’s supposed to work, anyhow, so long as the provider is trustworthy. Because running those servers costs money and VPN providers can potentially monetize their users’ data, most users are best served by a premium service that pays the bills via subscriptions. For example, Facebook infamously offered users a free VPN called Onavo that actually spied on their every move.

Google, of course, is one of the world’s largest ad companies, so it remains to be seen whether the free service has any catches. The small print on a promotional image tweeted by the company notes “some data is not transmitted through VPN,” though it’s not clear what this means in the context of expanding an existing service. (The Verge received no clarification from Google on the matter.)

According to Google documentation, the service will extend typical VPN features to Pixel users, such as preventing IP-based location tracking and shielding them from hackers when using public Wi-Fi and other insecure networks where they are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. Like most VPN clients, Google’s app will allow users to set their devices to only allow internet access when it’s on.

VPN usage across the globe varies dramatically in accordance with factors like government censorship, per a Security.org poll. However, the poll found that just 32% of those with mobile VPNs activated them every or almost every day. Hopefully, the introduction of the new VPN service will increase usage among new Pixel owners.

As The Verge noted, Google has a habit of juggling its free service offerings on Pixel, such as axing free unlimited photo storage. So, this may be more of a temporary promotional offering than setting a new standard for mobile security.—TM

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Top insights for IT pros

From cybersecurity and big data to cloud computing, IT Brew covers the latest trends shaping business tech in our 4x weekly newsletter, virtual events with industry experts, and digital guides.