In the duopoly world of technology, two can certainly play this game.
Google One is a subscription service that offers expanded cloud storage and is intended for the consumer market. The service has included a Virtual Private Network, or VPN for short, for Android devices ever since it launched in 2020.
After two years, Google finally remembers its iOS users.
According to Google on its blog post, the descriptively named VPN by Google One has been made available to Apple smartphone owners who pay for at least 2TB of storage via the cloud backup service, the company said.
Once users have signed up or upgraded, they can download the Google One app from the Apple App Store and go through the setup process.
After they're finished, they can then toggle the VPN using the interface element.
Using the VPN, users can encrypt their device’s online activity for extra protection from online threats like hackers.
While using it, users can stream, download and browser the web like they normally would.
But instead of using the public internet, they are connected to Google One's VPN, in which Google will shield them against hackers on unsecured Wi-Fi networks, for example.
And because it's a VPN, it allows users to hide their IP address and prevent third parties from using it to track their location.
According to Google,this service is supposed to "give you an extra layer of online protection for your phone and the peace of mind that your connection is safer."
Google also stressed how the VPN’s encryption has been independently audited by the NCC Group and certified by the Internet of Secure Things Alliance.
Read: Explaining The Types Of VPN Services And The Protocols They Use
For users on Android, Google also has some goodies for them as well. They include:
- Safe Disconnect: Ensuring that the device can only use the internet when the VPN is activated.
- App Bypass: Allow specific apps to use a standard connection instead of the VPN.
- Snooze: Temporarily turn off the VPN.
The downside of this Google One VPN is that, it doesn't allow users to spoof their IP address. What this means, users cannot use the VPN to watch content from other countries, for example.
Regardless, Google is bringing the VPN to more countries.
Google One VPN was already made available for users in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Mexico, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and Germany.
This time, Google is adding 10 more countries, which include: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, with more on the way.