GoKawiilWhen the Google Pixel 7 launched in 2022, it came with several interesting features like Face Unlock, Super Res Zoom, an LTPO display, and a bunch of special camera additions. One feature I didn’t give too much attention to, though, was the included free VPN service.
I’d had access to Google’s VPN through my Google One subscription for a year or so already and rarely, if ever, used it. So having it show up for free on my Pixel 7 Pro didn’t move the needle for me. Over the last few months, I’ve started using VPN by Google a lot more, and I can’t believe I didn’t do this earlier.
How Google’s VPN saved me from relying on data everywhere
Joe Maring / Android Authority
I don’t usually have a need for a VPN in my personal life, but I’ve had to use one for work many times. Living in France means that some US-centric websites don’t load, don’t show proper pricing, or don’t give me the same info. I have access to NordVPN through work, though, and for the longest time, that was enough for me.
And since I live in France and most of my travel happens in Europe, my current data plan works abroad, too. No need to connect to public Wi-Fi from slow airport networks or any other unprotected networks provided by a hotel, train, or café. I just stuck with my 4G or 5G connection, knowing I wasn’t risking anything by going onto an open network.
Recently, though, I ran into more and more situations where I had to cave in and join a public network. Air France started allowing free internet access on its European flights, which means I can work, browse, or talk to my friends while up in the air. Some trains I took passed by bad-reception areas for long periods of time, forcing me to connect to their onboard Wi-Fi. I found myself in a hotel room where the roaming partner my SIM card chose wasn’t getting a good signal and had to revert to the in-room network. And I visited a couple of expos that required me to join the local Wi-Fi to get their audio guide.
I avoided public Wi-Fi networks and relied on data instead. But that wasn't always possible, and it ruined my phone's battery life.
The first time this happened, I felt a bit iffy until I remembered that my Pixel 10 Pro XL had a built-in VPN. I turned it on, and I knew I could use my phone with a bit more ease of mind because my connection was now private, secure, and protected from whatever network provider I was currently relying on, as well as potential hackers.
After that, it has become a bit of a second nature for me to immediately enable my Pixel’s VPN each time I am near a public Wi-Fi. I also taught the trick to my husband, who didn’t know this feature was available for free on his Pixel 7 Pro, too. And ever since, I’ve started using public networks a bit more than I used to, instead of just relying on data everywhere. If I can back up some of my Google Photos pics during a trip before I come back home, or spare my battery a bit by not forcing my phone to stay on data all the time (and we know how terrible data connectivity is for the Pixel’s battery life), then why not use it?
... continue reading