Google Docs has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 2012. However, recent developments suggest that the app’s core functionality is being divided into free and paid features. This shift towards a more premium model, enabled by the Gemini AI suite, may lead to Google Docs becoming increasingly inaccessible to those who rely on it for personal and professional purposes.
The latest addition to the Gemini-powered feature set is Audio Summaries, which provides a short verbal synopsis of documents. While this tool is useful, its availability is restricted to specific plans, leaving everyday users without access. The cost of these premium features adds up quickly, raising concerns about Google’s plan to extract revenue from its most loyal customers.
As AI takes center stage in Google’s office suite, it’s essential to remember that even the free versions are becoming increasingly limited. Will we be forced to pay for tools that were once freely available? The shift towards a more premium model poses an existential threat to Google Docs’ free tier and highlights the need for users to take features like this for granted no longer.
Google is on a path where it’s pushing users into paying for their services due to their reliance. It may be possible to resist this trend, but with each feature being added behind a paywall, the likelihood of users being locked in increases.
Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/google-is-locking-its-best-productivity-tools-behind-a-20-paywall