Kenyan users of Google's cloud storage service, Google One, are bracing for a price hike starting this Saturday.

The 100GB Basic plan, a popular choice for personal storage, will see a 19 per cent jump, rising from Sh2,100 per year to Sh2,500.

This comes on the heels of a similar price increase for the Standard plan (200GB) last month, further tightening the belt on data-hungry users.

The notification sent to subscribers leaves no room for ambiguity, "Google LLC is increasing the price of your subscription (Google One – 100GB) from Sh2,100 per year to Sh2,500 per year starting January 5, 2024."

While Google offers a free 15GB tier, for most, this falls woefully short of the demands of modern digital life, with photos, videos, and documents quickly filling the void.

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Upgrading to larger plans, once an occasional expense, is becoming increasingly necessary, raising concerns about the affordability of crucial online storage.

This price hike is not an isolated incident. Last December, Google made headlines with its controversial policy of deleting data stored in inactive accounts for two years.

While framed as a data management and security measure, the move sparked anxieties about the impermanence of digital possessions, particularly for those who rely heavily on cloud services.

The recent price increase and data deletion policy, while seemingly unrelated, paint a concerning picture for Kenyan users.

The cost of essential cloud storage is rising, while the security and longevity of stored data is becoming a question mark.

As Kenyans increasingly embrace the digital world, these issues demand a closer look, prompting questions about the future of online storage access and data security in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Kenyans are a digitally savvy population, and this latest development is sure to spark conversation and debate.

The affordability and accessibility of online storage are critical issues, and Google's decisions will undoubtedly have a significant impact on how Kenyans store, access, and manage their digital lives.

Whether this is a temporary blip or a harbinger of things to come remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the cloud cost crunch is real, and Kenyans are feeling the squeeze.