> your answer is, “Google has always done this free tier so I’m entitled to it forever.”
Apart from OP pointing out that that's not what was said: yes.
We have been trained over more than two decades to expect stuff on the internet to be free, bar perhaps the occasional sponsored segment. From punching monkeys to win money, to news, to having music streamed to you, to having videos - including music videos - streamed to you. All for free. The whole bruhaha about privacy? Pffft. You can get what you want nownownowNOW! Without paying!
And you know what? That training was successful.
Music television no longer exists. Newspapers struggle to survive - as does traditional TV broadcasting. Waiting a week between episodes? What is this, the stone age?
So congratulations to Google and other internet juggernauts. We've been trained well. We expect to be able to binge what we want, without having to pay. And without too much ad annoyance. We will no longer pay. Our threshold for crap (ads included) is also miniscule, because that's the other factor luring us away from competition.
So yes: I totally expect Google to serve me what I want, when I want it, without having to pay. Because that's what Google has been training us to expect.
Apart from OP pointing out that that's not what was said: yes.
We have been trained over more than two decades to expect stuff on the internet to be free, bar perhaps the occasional sponsored segment. From punching monkeys to win money, to news, to having music streamed to you, to having videos - including music videos - streamed to you. All for free. The whole bruhaha about privacy? Pffft. You can get what you want nownownowNOW! Without paying!
And you know what? That training was successful.
Music television no longer exists. Newspapers struggle to survive - as does traditional TV broadcasting. Waiting a week between episodes? What is this, the stone age?
So congratulations to Google and other internet juggernauts. We've been trained well. We expect to be able to binge what we want, without having to pay. And without too much ad annoyance. We will no longer pay. Our threshold for crap (ads included) is also miniscule, because that's the other factor luring us away from competition.
So yes: I totally expect Google to serve me what I want, when I want it, without having to pay. Because that's what Google has been training us to expect.