Before cloud solutions like Google Drive, individuals and businesses often faced difficulties regarding file organization, version control, limited storage space on local devices, and sharing files with others.
All of these are important factors for individuals and businesses as they promote collaboration, efficiency, flexibility, data security, and accessibility, all of which contribute to improved productivity and smoother operations.
What is Google Drive?
Launched on April 24, 2012, Google Drive is an online file storage system developed by Google that enables users to access, edit, and share their files anywhere.
This service provides individuals, businesses, corporations, organizations, and institutions with an easy and secure way to store their digital files online. Files are stored in cloud storage on Google servers that offer online and offline capabilities. It is also a key component of Google Workplace.
Main Features and Benefits of Using Google Drive
Google Drive is a service centered around providing its users with a secure and convenient way of storing their files online. Here are the key features of Google Drive:
Platform Availability
Google Drive is a service that is accessible and available to multiple platforms including but not limited to iOS, MacOS, Android, and Windows.
File Synchronization and Sharing
With Google Drive’s availability across multiple platforms, file synchronization is a breeze for all users as they can easily save, edit, and share files from any and all of their devices.
Google Drive includes a file-sharing mechanism in which the creator of a file or folder is the default owner. The file or folder’s public visibility can be controlled by the owner and can be transferred. It can also be shared privately with specific Google account holders by using the email address. Sharing files with individuals who do not have a Google account is also possible by using the option “anybody with the link”. This creates a secret URL for the file, which can then be shared via email or private chats.
Integrations
The Google Drive software development kit (SDK) collaborates with the Google Drive user interface and the Chrome Web Store to build an ecosystem of programs, including third-party apps, that can be installed into Google Drive. Google also published an API for Google Drive, allowing third-party developers to create collaborative apps with real-time editing.
The Chrome Web Store contains a variety of external online applications that interact with Google Drive. First-party programs are also accessible, such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Moreover, it also has Drive apps that operate on online files that can be used to view, edit, and create files in various formats, edit images and videos, fax, and sign documents, manage projects, create flowcharts, and such.
Collaboration
Google Drive’s platform has made it easier for users to collaborate on files. Sharing for viewing, commenting, and editing reflects real-time changes to all collaborators of the file making it easier to work with colleagues and teammates online.
Diverse File Format
Files can be viewed in the following format:
- Native formats (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Drawings, My Maps, Jamboard, Sites)
- Image files (.JPEG, .PNG, .GIF, .TIFF, .BMP, .WEBP .HEIF .SVG)
- Video files (.WEBM, .MPEG4, .3GPP, .MOV, .AVI, .MPEG, .MPEGPS, .WMV, .FLV, .OGG .VOB)
- Audio formats (.MP3, .M4A, .WAV, .OGG .Opus)
- Text files (.TXT)
- Markup/Code (.CSS, .HTML, .PHP, .C, .CPP, .H, .HPP, .JS .Java .PY)
- Microsoft Word (.DOC and .DOCX)
- Microsoft Excel (.XLS and .XLSX)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (.PPT and .PPTX)
- Adobe Portable Document Format (.PDF)
- Apple Pages (.PAGES)
- Adobe Illustrator (.AI)
- Adobe Photoshop (.PSD)
- Autodesk AutoCad (.DXF)
- Scalable Vector Graphics (.SVG)
- PostScript (.EPS, .PS)
- Python (.PY)
- Fonts (.TTF)
- XML Paper Specification (.XPS)
- Archive file types (.ZIP, .RAR, tar, gzip)
- .MTS files
- Raw Image formats (.DNG)
- Apple Keynote (.KEY)
- Apple Numbers (.Numbers)
Third-party applications available on the Chrome Web Store enable the handling of files in alternative formats within Google Drive as well.
Quick Access
Quick Access, which was initially launched on the Android app in September 2016, leverages machine learning to anticipate and present the files you require even before you’ve entered any search terms. In March 2017, it was revealed that the functionality would be extended to iOS and the web, with the website interface receiving the update in May.
Search Optimization
Search results can be filtered by file type, ownership, visibility, and the desired open-with app. Users have the ability to search for specific content in images by describing or naming what is depicted. For instance, a search for “ocean” will retrieve all the photos of oceans, as well as any text documents related to oceans. Optical character recognition enables the extraction of text from images and PDFs, allowing for comprehensive search results. Google also added “natural language processing” for searching on the Google Drive website, enabling specific user search queries and keywords.
Visually Impaired Accessibility: Google added features that make the service more accessible to visually impaired users. This includes keyboard accessibility, zooming and high contrast support, and improved compatibility with screen readers.
User Experience with Google Drive
The interface of every Google app boasts a recognizable design with ample white space, vibrant graphics, and a touch of color. While the Google Drive interface may not be the epitome of sophistication, it compensates with its user-friendly nature and impressive speed. Locating files is easy, whether you opt for a keyword and file type search from the top search bar or navigate through folders and shared content using the left-side navigation bar. Google Drive seamlessly employs Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in PDFs and images, enabling you to search for text within them as effortlessly as any other document.
With File management on Google Drive, you can easily copy, move, star, and organize files according to your preferences. The main web interface provides the option of a thumbnail view or a more traditional list view. The intuitive drag-and-drop functionality allows you to effortlessly rearrange files, mimicking the experience of using a standard desktop app.
Pricing Structure
Google Drive has a 4-tier subscription:
- Free plan with 15 GB storage
- Basic plan at $89/month with 100 GB storage
- Standard plan at $149/month with 200 GB storage
- Premium plan at $479/month with 2 TB storage
You can save 16% if you subscribe to an annual plan.