It's become a pattern across many Google assets. The massive price increase of the Maps API, the order of magnitude limitations placed on the YouTube API, and now the neutering of ad blocking on Chromium. Google built an empire, and now they're cashing in their chips. I can't say I blame them, but they are no longer a platform that enables innovation. So now my only question is what's next? Which Google product will be the next to transform into an anaconda in their attempts to squeeze cash from their customers. Personally, I'm rethinking everything from Gmail to Android.
The funniest thing is, I would happily pay Google a reasonable amount each month to have access to their service! Caveat being that they agreed to drop all tracking and adverts, of course. But I love Gmail, Drive, Youtube and, most of all, Maps and Earth!
As things stand, though, if I gave Google any money, I'd be essentially wasting my time, because all I'd get in return would be dubious 'premium' features.
When it comes to at least Gmail and Drive, they do have a paid option with contracts preventing them from using your data for tracking, and it removes advertisements within those applications.
This is a link with more information. I imagine any of the paid tiers of Google Suite are covered by these standards, but I am not a representative of Google.
https://gsuite.google.com/security/?secure-by-design_activeE...
"Google does not collect, scan, or use your data in G Suite services for advertising purposes and we do not display ads in G Suite. We use your data to provide G Suite services, and for system support, such as spam filtering, virus detection, spell-checking, capacity planning, traffic routing, and the ability to search for emails and files within an individual account."
I switched to openStreetMap over two years ago now and I havnt looked back. it could be hit and miss depending on where you live though. it really depends on how much contributors are (or were) in your area.
there doesn't seem to be any google earth replacement around but then again its not really that important to have one, not for me anyway as its mostly something i just browse for entertainment every now and again
I recently considered cloud backup for my photos; could easily have paid for 2TB of Google Drive however Google's reputation in the past couple of years has really nosedived (in my eyes). I don't trust them anymore, they'll just eff up most things I like - eventually.
So went with the Norwegian Jottacloud. Looks quite good, performs well even from down under - uploaded 1.1TB in just a few days.
I have a lot of RAW images; their photo browser displays them fine, however they could do well to update the navigation a bit as it is cumbersome to jump say 15 years back in time.
Edit: It's still amazing to see my collection of NEFs and phone dumps (I clean our phones once or twice a year by moving all photos to the NAS) organised by time, extracted from the dark depths of my NAS drive folder hierarchies.
The Youtube API restrictions are completely ridiculous, you use up the entire daily allocation by searching 3 times, or viewing like 10 video metadata blobs.
They might as well just scrap the free API completely, because its now worthless.
