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Reports about Google Drive’s demise are greatly exaggerated, though numerous articles such as these have been popping up:

    • Google Drive is being replaced by Backup and Sync: What to expect, PCWorld
    • Google Drive on PC/Mac is dead, long live Backup and Sync. engadget
    • When is Google Drive being shut down, what will happen to your files and what are the alternatives?, The Sun

With headlines like this, it’s not surprising we’ve received questions about Google Drive’s longevity. However, the Google Drive service is not being replaced. It will continue to function in much the same manner as always. What is changing is that the computer application that syncs data on your computer will be replaced with two different applications: one for paid G Suite subscription users, and one for free Gmail users.

Starting March 2018, the Google Drive client application for Mac and PC and the Google Photos desktop app will be replaced. Google announced this change on July 12, 2017 and laid out the differences between the two new sync solutions in a helpful document.

So Google Drive is here to stay, very much alive and well. In fact, we like (love, in fact) the G Suite Drive File Stream because it works much like the iOS or Android app, plus takes up less space on your computer and keeps the data more secure in the cloud.

Drive File Stream
G Suite paid subscribers are encouraged to switch to Google Drive File Stream application for PC and Mac. It’s a great solution. We’ve been using it via Google’s Early Adopter Program since March 2017, and have already rolled it out to several customers with positive feedback. Because the app only downloads filenames and metadata, it takes up almost no space on your computer. Drive File Stream allows for easy Mac Finder or Windows Explorer access to your data easily from any application. It makes working with Adobe or Microsoft apps a breeze.

Backup and Sync
For those using Gmail’s free version and working in Chrome, there’s essentially no difference in how you will access Google Drive. If, however, you want to automatically sync your photos and files, you’ll need to switch to Google Backup and Sync. Legacy free versions of G Suite can also use Google Backup and Sync.

For more details about Backup and Sync, or if you have any questions about your Drive data, please call us at (916) 972-9000.