Google plans to launch a VPN service for consumers, which would be available with certain subscription plans for its Google One cloud storage services.
The VPN will be a free perk to the $9.99-a-month 2TB plan on Google One, the company’s cloud storage service. Soon, the Google One app for Android will display a new function that can activate a VPN over the user’s smartphone.
The company is offering the VPN as a safeguard to prevent hackers from snooping on users’ unencrypted web traffic if their phone is ever connected to a public Wi-Fi network. A VPN can stop the potential eavesdropping by encrypting the phone’s internet connection, thereby scrambling the data flowing to and from the device.
Designed for secure internet usage, virtual private networks (VPNs) are used by individuals in countries where access to certain sites and services have been barred by governments.
Google said the VPN service will roll out in the U.S. in the coming weeks through the Google One app for Android users, with plans to expand to more countries and to iOS, Windows, and Mac operating systems in the coming months.
