In 2020, Google launched its VPN service called “VPN By Google” for all its Google One subscription plans in select countries. However, Google has recently announced that it will be discontinuing the ‘VPN By Google’ service. Though, Pixel users will still have access to a built-in VPN. Besides, Google is introducing a new feature called Dark Web Monitoring that will soon be available to all Google account users.
VPN By Google Shutting Down
A 9to5Google report confirms that VPN by Google will shut down. Mishaal Rahman also posted screenshots of a mail being sent by Google to the Google One subscribers confirming the same. The VPN service was touted to be an “extra layer of online protection for your Android phone” and allow for “peace of mind that your data is safe.” However, it seems like people didn’t find the feature useful, and Google’s efforts to run it were essentially wasted.
At the moment, this VPN is available through the Google One apps for Android and iOS, while Mac and Windows clients are also available. Google also didn’t share a specific timeline as to when the VPN service would phase out but one can expect it to happen in the coming months. This will allow Google to utilise its resources more efficiently and “support more in-demand features with Google One”, as stated in the publication’s report. The company attempted to encourage subscribers to use the feature by expanding access to all Google One plans (rather than only the top-tier ones) in March 2023. However, this effort did not appear to be successful.
Google does confirm that the free Pixel VPN introduced with the Pixel 7 series in 2022 remains unchanged. At the time, the company guaranteed availability of the feature for a minimum of 5 years. Moreover, the VPN upgrade introduced with the Pixel 8 series is also coming to the Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a, and Pixel Fold in June, so Pixel users don’t have to worry about the feature going away.
For those unaware, the built-in VPN service doesn’t require users to install the Google One app, thanks to deeper integration within the Android operating system on Pixel smartphones.
Dark Web Monitoring To Be Available For All
The screenshots posted by Rahman also show that Google will be making available Dark Web Monitoring for all the eligible Google accounts like how it recently did for some of the Google Photos AI editing tools. While there’s no timeline or specific details mentioned, one can expect the rollout to take place soon.
The feature made its way to India earlier last year. Google One’s dark web report feature helps you scan the dark web for your personal info — like your name, address, email, phone number and Social Security number — and will notify you if it’s found. Dark web reports will also show you other related info that may be found in those data breaches. The info in your monitoring profile is handled according to Google’s privacy policy, and you can delete any info from your profile or stop monitoring at any time.