The change surfaced after some users reported seeing two storage options during account creation: continue with 5GB of storage or add a phone number to unlock the standard 15GB shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos.

Confirming the test, Google said the experiment is aimed at improving security and reducing abuse on its platforms.

“We’re testing a new storage policy for new accounts created in select regions that will help us continue to provide a high-quality storage service to our users, while encouraging users to improve their account security and data recovery,” a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying by Android Authority.

Google has long used phone number verification to help users recover accounts, detect suspicious logins, and prevent the mass creation of fake or spam accounts.

The company has not disclosed which regions are included in the trial, though early reports indicate the experiment may be affecting users in parts of Africa. It also remains unclear whether the policy will become permanent or expand globally.

Existing Gmail users are not currently affected, with users who already have 15GB of free storage expected to retain their allocations.

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The feature enables users to update their email username through their Google Account settings under the “Personal info” section.

According to the company, users will be able to change their Gmail address once every 12 months. During this period, the new address cannot be deleted.

Google said that users’ existing emails will be preserved, while the old address will remain active as an alternate login option. This means users can continue signing in using either the old or new email address.

The feature is being rolled out gradually and may not yet be available to all users.

Reports indicate that the functionality was first spotted in some Hindi-speaking regions, suggesting an initial phased rollout before wider global availability.

Google added that the update is part of ongoing efforts to improve user flexibility and account management without disrupting access to existing data and services.

The post Google Introduces Gmail Address Change Feature for Users appeared first on Tech Digest News.

The new tools allow users to ask Gmail questions such as “What’s the name of the job recruiter I met last month?” and retrieve relevant messages instantly. Google is also testing an AI-powered inbox, set for broader release later this year, which automatically generates to-do lists and highlights tasks from email conversations.

Other features include automatic email summaries, suggested personalized replies, and a “Help Me Write” tool to draft messages based on short prompts. Paid AI tools, available under Google’s subscription plans starting at $20 per month, include enhanced email searches and a proofreading assistant that can revise sentences for clarity and conciseness.

The AI tools are powered by Google’s Gemini assistant, which analyzes user emails without human review. Google assures users that while Gemini accesses the inbox for AI functions, employees do not read the content, and Gmail data will not be used to train or improve the AI models.

Blake Barnes, Google’s vice president of product overseeing Gmail, said the tools aim to reduce the time people spend on email management while maintaining privacy safeguards. Early testers report that the AI-powered inbox is particularly useful for summarizing conversations and creating actionable to-do lists, though some users remain cautious about sharing additional data with the system.

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According to a Google support page published in Hindi, the company is introducing an option that lets users modify email addresses ending in “@gmail.com.” Previously, Google only permitted account email changes for users who registered with third-party email addresses, while Gmail addresses themselves could not be altered.

Under the new system, Google may retain the old Gmail address as an alias after a change. This would allow users to sign in using either the old or new address, while continuing to receive emails sent to both. Google said account data—including emails, photos and messages—will remain unaffected by the change.

However, the company is placing limits on the feature. Users will not be allowed to create a new Google account email address for one year after making a change, and Gmail addresses can only be modified up to three times.

Google noted that the feature is being rolled out gradually and is not yet available to all users. The company did not provide a timeline for a full global release, meaning some users may have to wait before the option appears in their account settings.

The post Google to Allow Users Change Gmail Usernames appeared first on Tech Digest News.

The tool allows users to view all active subscriptions, see how many emails each sender has delivered recently, and unsubscribe with a single click — no more hunting for tiny unsubscribe links. Gmail will handle the opt-out requests automatically, helping users keep their inboxes clutter-free.

According to Gmail’s Director of Product, Chris Doan, the update responds to the problem of unwanted emails that pile up over time, from outdated newsletters to forgotten retail alerts. This dashboard-style upgrade builds on Gmail’s one-click unsubscribe tool launched last year, giving users more control and visibility. The new feature will be available to all Gmail users, including those on Google Workspace, Workspace Individual, and personal Google accounts.

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Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), has revealed his latest venture, XMail, a new email service that could challenge Google’s dominance in the market.

Musk announced his social media platform, X, where he confirmed that XMail is “coming” soon. He did not provide further details about the service’s features, launch date, or pricing but hinted that it would be integrated with the X app.

The news comes amid a wave of panic among Gmail users, alarmed by a hoax image claiming Google was shutting down its popular email service by August 2024. The image, which looked like an official email from Google, went viral on X and other social media platforms, causing confusion and outrage among millions of users.

Google quickly debunked the rumor, stating that Gmail is “here to stay” and that it had recently updated its interface to make it more user-friendly and colorful. However, some users remained skeptical and expressed interest in trying out XMail as an alternative.

Musk has yet to reveal when XMail will be available to the public, but some users are eager to sign up for it. Others, however, are more cautious and prefer to stick with Gmail, which they trust and rely on for personal and professional communication.

The post Elon Musk to launch ‘Xmail’ to rival Google’s Gmail appeared first on Tech Digest News.

The tech giant has introduced an AI-powered writing feature that helps users quickly refine existing work or get you started with something new in Google Docs and Gmail.

Designed to streamline the writing process, the tool, known as “Help me write,” has the capabilities of Duet AI for Google Workspace, enhancing how users craft emails and documents within Google Docs and Gmail.

Google AI writing tool

Duet AI in Gmail formalizing notes into a polished email; Source: Google
Users can now bid adieu to the time-consuming chore of composing emails and documents from scratch.

With “Help me write,” a range of options becomes available at the click of a button. Within Gmail, users can swiftly draft or reply to emails and select the “Help me write” button to access various options:

Write Your Draft: Craft your message using your own words, benefiting from the AI’s contextual understanding of email threads for relevant and coherent replies.

Formalize Your Draft: Adjust the tone of your draft to lend it a more formal touch.

Elaborate on Your Draft: Enhance your email with additional details to enrich the content.

Shorten Your Draft: Condense the length of your email draft while retaining its essence.

I’m Feeling Lucky: Infuse creativity into your content by exploring diverse tones and styles.

Efficiency at Your Fingertips

How Google’s Duet AI-Powered Writing Tool Can Write your Emails

Google has ingeniously integrated this AI-driven writing tool into Google Docs as well. By merely providing a few words about the topic, a draft is instantaneously generated.

Users can fine-tune the content further using options like changing the tone, summarizing, bulletizing, elaborating, shortening, retrying for a different draft, or even providing custom instructions.

The innovation doesn’t stop there. Google has seamlessly merged the power of Smart Canvas with “Help me write.”

Users can now effortlessly incorporate smart chips, variables, and building blocks into their generated content.

This integration is particularly valuable for including real-time data or customizing details like names and titles. This potent combination expedites the creation process, enabling users to transition smoothly from concept to completion without having to navigate away from their documents.

The impact of this feature is far-reaching, benefiting end users across various contexts. Whether you’re a recruiter fine-tuning a job description or an account executive crafting a sales pitch, “Help me write” simplifies the initial drafting phase, allowing you to focus on unleashing your creative ideas.

Administrators and end users will be pleased to know that this feature will be turned on by default. For administrators, there will be no admin control over this feature. The rollout has commenced, and it’s currently available for customers with the Duet AI for Google Workspace Enterprise add-on.

The post How Google’s Duet AI-Powered Writing Tool Can Write your Emails appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – Nigerians are also entertainment enthusiasts who love their celebrity personalities, with Nollywood actors like “Mercy Johnson” and “Odunlade Adekola” and favourite acts like “Burna Boy”also ranking as some of the most searched personalities in Nigeria over this period alongside the likes of Cardi B and Kanye West.

Google processes more than 40 000 search queries every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide. Google Search trends information is gleaned from data based on what Nigerians have been searching for.

Over the past 15 years, Nigerians have relied on Search to get the answers they require. They have also shown consistent interest in news and current affairs.

This is revealed in the top questions that Nigerians have asked, their top political topics and media platforms that they follow for news stories.

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world.

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