Microsoft to offer 15GB of free cloud storage via OneDrive

[Shawn Knight]

Microsoft on Monday revealed intentions to more than double the amount of OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) cloud storage offered to regular users to 15GB. Up to this point, storage for non-paying subscribers was capped at 7GB (or 25GB for early adopters).

The changes don’t stop there, however, as all Office 365 users will now receive 1TB of storage, up from a lowly 20GB in comparison. Office 365 Personal subscribers can have access to the same 1TB of space for $6.99 per month while Office 365 Home subscribers can get 1TB for up to five people for $9.99 each month.

Interested in more online storage but don’t have (or want) Office? No worries. Pricing starts at $1.99 per month for 100GB in the cloud and scales up to $3.99 for 200GB of space.

The offers are certainly attractive but it’s worth pointing out that Microsoft isn’t the only cloud storage provider in the game. Earlier this year, Box handed out 50GB to anyone that downloaded their new iPhone / iPad application. Google Drive offers users the same 15GB as Microsoft while Dropbox dishes out 2GB to basic (free) users.

Given Microsoft’s deep pockets, they could have easily offered more storage across all tiers and really put the pressure on the competition. Instead, they elected to play it safe.

The changes will go into effect next month and we’re told that all current subscribers will be moved to the new pricing automatically at that time.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/57197-microsoft-to-offer-15gb-of-free-cloud-storage-via-onedrive.html

 

[oldikes]

Cloud storage is rather useless to me until mobile data is affordable and uncapped.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Interesting to see the decrease in prices of cloud storage over the years

 

[wastedkill]

Ohh 15GB free cloud storage... sorry but 15GB.... other better competitors are giving out 10x that...

 

[TomSEA]

Interesting to see the decrease in prices of cloud storage over the years

Looks like we're seeing the start of it right here.

Cloud storage isn't viable for me right now. The upload/download speeds just don't make it worth it except for small files. There are USB 3.0 4TB hard drives available now for around $110. Significantly faster and easy to pack around if you need to. I know there's the potential reliability factor of a mechanical HD, but so far, I've never experienced any problems.

 

[Sancticide]

Ohh 15GB free cloud storage... sorry but 15GB.... other better competitors are giving out 10x that...

Can't tell if hyperbole or you just suck at math... Sorry, but no one is giving away 150GB of storage for free, not even Box or Mega.

 

[Sancticide]

Interesting to see the decrease in prices of cloud storage over the years

Looks like we're seeing the start of it right here.

Cloud storage isn't viable for me right now. The upload/download speeds just don't make it worth it except for small files. There are USB 3.0 4TB hard drives available now for around $110. Significantly faster and easy to pack around if you need to. I know there's the potential reliability factor of a mechanical HD, but so far, I've never experienced any problems.

To me, the real benefit of cloud storage is the ease of syncing files between all devices without having to carry around a drive all the time. I can seamlessly access photos or a research paper from my work/school computer or my tablet. My phone's photos are constantly backed up to the cloud as well, without my intervention, as soon as I connect to WiFi. Obviously, everyone's use case is different, but the cloud fills a role that hard storage can't, at least not as easily.

 

[TomSEA]

To me, the real benefit of cloud storage is the ease of syncing files between all devices without having to carry around a drive all the time. I can seamlessly access photos or a research paper from my work/school computer or my tablet. My phone's photos are constantly backed up to the cloud as well, without my intervention, as soon as I connect to WiFi. Obviously, everyone's use case is different, but the cloud fills a role that hard storage can't, at least not as easily.

Yup - for small files like documents and photos it's very handy, no doubt about it and I use it in the way you describe also. But try uploading/downloading a huge CAD/CAM file or a ripped blu-ray movie and you'll be clawing your eyes out soon enough.

I'm also waiting for the first cloud site to crash, losing some or all of the stored data or be hacked. Think it's only a matter of time before one of those two scenarios happens and then we'll be having a very different discussion.

 

[S_Brideau]

That looked a lot like paid advertisement rather than an article. Other competitors such as google have been offering 15GB storage for years for free. I know as I see it everytime I go on gmail.

 

[Sancticide]

[quote} To me, the real benefit of cloud storage is the ease of syncing files between all devices without having to carry around a drive all the time. I can seamlessly access photos or a research paper from my work/school computer or my tablet. My phone's photos are constantly backed up to the cloud as well, without my intervention, as soon as I connect to WiFi. Obviously, everyone's use case is different, but the cloud fills a role that hard storage can't, at least not as easily.

Yup - for small files like documents and photos it's very handy, no doubt about it and I use it in the way you describe also. But try uploading/downloading a huge CAD/CAM file or a ripped blu-ray movie and you'll be clawing your eyes out soon enough.

I'm also waiting for the first cloud site to crash, losing some or all of the stored data or be hacked. Think it's only a matter of time before one of those two scenarios happens and then we'll be having a very different discussion. [/quote]

True, and that's why I don't store anything too personal in the cloud. I wouldn't be too upset if someone illegally accessed my beach photos or my homework assignments. As for the size issue, isn't that more a result of poor upload speed on the network connection? Or is the cloud service throttling the upload as a low priority sync?

 

[wastedkill]

Can't tell if hyperbole or you just suck at math... Sorry, but no one is giving away 150GB of storage for free, not even Box or Mega.

Gosh I must be a hyperbole guy thats terrible at math...ohh wait I'm not but you are thanks for shaming yourself on the interwebs bye bye, also this is techspot not dumbspot 15GB doesnt magically turn into 150GB its still 15GB

 

[TomSEA]

"Or is the cloud service throttling the upload as a low priority sync?"

Although I can't confirm positively, I think that's the case. I have a pretty quick Internet connection, but when I try to do large files to cloud storage, it's like I'm on dial-up sometimes.

 

[at0mic_Mike]

I have 25gigs for free. I quit using onedrive/skydrive when a lot of my files disappeared for no reason. I stick with copy. it's supported by linux, also

 

[Jad Chaar]

Yup - for small files like documents and photos it's very handy, no doubt about it and I use it in the way you describe also. But try uploading/downloading a huge CAD/CAM file or a ripped blu-ray movie and you'll be clawing your eyes out soon enough.

I'm also waiting for the first cloud site to crash, losing some or all of the stored data or be hacked. Think it's only a matter of time before one of those two scenarios happens and then we'll be having a very different discussion.

Yeah I like being able to store my important documents and backups of my USB drives just incase they fail.

 

[Sancticide]

Gosh I must be a hyperbole guy thats terrible at math...ohh wait I'm not but you are thanks for shaming yourself on the interwebs bye bye, also this is techspot not dumbspot 15GB doesnt magically turn into 150GB its still 15GB

- Microsoft gives away 15GB
- You: "other better competitors are giving out 10x that..."
- 10 x 15GB = 150GB
- Me: "No one is giving away 150GB for free."

Try not to hurt yourself.

 

[wastedkill]

- Microsoft gives away 15GB
- You: "other better competitors are giving out 10x that..."
- 10 x 15GB = 150GB
- Me: "No one is giving away 150GB for free."

Try not to hurt yourself.

You say that but google is giving out 1GB
10000 x 1GB = 10,000GB/10TB
Me: "No one is giving away 10TB for free"

Try not to hurt yourself.

 

[Sancticide]

You say that but google is giving out 1GB
10000 x 1GB = 10,000GB/10TB
Me: "No one is giving away 10TB for free"

Try not to hurt yourself.

That makes no sense.

 

[wastedkill]

That makes no sense.

Just like yours