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Google is including its VPN in all Pixel 7 phones for free.
Google is bundling Pixel 7 phones with its VPN service at no extra cost.
VPNs are designed to hide and protect your internet traffic from being seen by your mobile carrier, ISPs, hackers, and even Google itself.
Google’s VPN isn’t the most robust, but it’s a good option if you’re interested in protecting your privacy without much effort.
Google announced the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones on October 6, and among the usual array of performance and camera upgrades, one of the best new features in Google’s Pixel 7 lineup is a free built-in “VPN” that will be made available “later this year.”
It stands for “virtual private network,” and it’s a tool for privacy and security. VPNs basically hide your internet activity from your mobile carrier, ISP (internet service provider), theoretically Google itself, and even hackers in a private, encrypted virtual tunnel. You can learn more about how a VPN works here.
VPNs usually cost money, at least the good ones do. Google’s VPN usually comes as a perk with its two-terabyte $9.99/month ($99.99/year) Google One storage subscription plan. For the Pixel 7 users, Google’s VPN comes at no extra cost.
How Google’s built-in VPN works with the Pixel 7
VPNs direct your internet traffic through a VPN server before it reaches “the internet.” That way, anyone or anything that wants to track you only sees a VPNs traffic instead of your own.
Matthew Stuart
Google’s built-in VPN in the Pixel 7 works for everything you do on the phone online, including internet traffic on Android, apps, and regardless of which web browser you use.
It sounds contradictory, as Google has a legendarily poor track record with regards to privacy. But that’s what’s happening here — it’s giving Pixel 7 users an additional layer of privacy and security compared to users who don’t use a VPN.
The company says that it will “never use the VPN connection to track, log, or sell your browsing activity.” Google does say, however, it collects aggregated data “to ensure a healthy and performant VPN.” But as long as that data is aggregated, it’s not tied directly to individuals.
How Google’s VPN compares to other VPN services
Google’s VPN is a convenient and free option for Pixel 7 users, but it’s not the best VPN service for those who take privacy more seriously.
The Google One VPN is on the lighter side of providing privacy compared to dedicated VPN services with more robust options and features. For example, the Google One VPN doesn’t let you “spoof” your location, which means you can’t pretend to be in a different location than your own. Some like to have location spoofing to prevent their location from being tracked, but many use it to access content that’s only available in a different country.
Additionally, since Google is a US-based company, the US government has jurisdiction to obtain user internet traffic data, even if it’s been through a VPN. Some dedicated VPN companies are based outside of US jurisdiction for this very reason.
And finally, because of the way VPNs work, using Google’s VPN directs literally all your internet traffic through Google’s servers, whereas your traffic would go through various servers owned by various companies without Google’s VPN. That means Google can peek at everything you do online, should it want to. There would be serious backlash if Google is caught doing so.
Still, it’s technically better than nothing. It’s a good option for those who want to set-it-and-forget-it. It’s especially useful to stay protected when you’re connected to an unsecured public WiFi, like at a coffee shop or an airport. But those more concerned about privacy should get a more robust VPN option.