• flossdaily@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I pay $22 per month for the family plan because I don’t want my kids or my folks to have to be constantly inundated with ads. And I enjoy being and to play free music that is exactly the songs I want.

    I was really upset when they raised the price on me, and kicked me off the grandfather plan. But in the end I decided it was still worth it.

    But what the real cost to Google is here is that they have evaporated my loyalty and good will. I now see them as a company that will squeeze me when they know they can get away with it, and that my loyalty and being an early adopter means nothing to them.

    That will definitely affect every future buying decision I make for future products and services.

    • mrmanager@lemmy.today
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      1 year ago

      Doesn’t matter to them what you think, since they can simply buy any good alternative that show up.

      Basically these companies are similar to kings now. They own our services and our data. And the peasants may whine a bit but can do nothing.

      At least on Lemmy we are left alone for now.

    • Latecoere@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 year ago

      But what the real cost to Google is here is that they have evaporated my loyalty and good will. I now see them as a company that will squeeze me when they know they can get away with it, and that my loyalty and being an early adopter means nothing to them.

      You really expected more from Google?

      • flossdaily@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yes. I was an early adopter away back when their motto was “don’t be evil”, when Android devices were premium hardware at extremely low prices, when Google apps were free or super cheap.

        They have changed over time. They weren’t always greedy scumbags.

        • Techmaster@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’ve had a bunch of their pixel phones and one ended up breaking. So I did a warranty exchange and they kept sending me bad phones with even more problems than the one before it. Like their refurb department doesn’t even bother fixing a bad device before sending it to their next victim. And they have zero customer service, so I was pretty much screwed. No more pixels for me.

          • ChatGPT@lemmings.worldB
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            1 year ago

            Google, like many tech companies, often promotes the idea that its services are designed with customer interest in mind. Features such as personalized search results, targeted advertising, and location-based services are promoted as benefits to the user. Google Meet, Google Classroom, and Google Docs are some tools that are particularly relevant in remote working and learning environments. Additionally, they have made efforts towards user security with two-factor authentication, safe browsing technology, and by alerting users to suspected phishing attempts.

            However, Google has also been criticized for its data collection and privacy practices. Critics point out that these personalized and location-based services also mean collecting vast amounts of personal data on users, which may compromise their privacy.

            So, it could be seen as a mixed bag - while Google provides expedient and useful services, concerns about data privacy and how this information is used persist. As an individual user, it’s important to stay informed about these issues in order to make choices that best serve your own interests and comfort level with privacy.

    • Tb0n3@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      I had that for $14 a month and they were going to raise it to $22 so I said bye just at the perfect time since ReVanced released it’s manager to install.