Google LLC will roll out a virtual private network service for Google One users to help them browse the web more securely.

Google One is a subscription bundle introduced in 2018 that gives customers access to additional storage space beyond the 15 gigabytes of free capacity available with every Google Account. It also packs other features including a tool for backing up files on mobile devices.

The newly introduced VPN tool, announced Thursday, will be bundled into all Google One subscription plans with 2 terabytes or more of storage. The 2-terabyte plan is priced at $9.99 per month or $99 per year. Initial availability will be limited to Android devices in the U.S., but Google said that there are plans to bring it to more operating systems and regions in the coming months. A desktop version is in the works as well. 

All VPN services are based on the same principle: using encryption to secure internet connections. There are situations, such as when users log into a mobile banking app over a public Wi-Fi network, where their data traffic may be vulnerable to eavesdropping. A VPN routes traffic through an encrypted connection managed by a cloud server to keep it beyond the reach of prying eyes.

Google’s new VPN can be enabled on an Android device through a setting in the Google One app. It encrypts all connections made from a device, regardless of whether they’re initiated by a browser session or a mobile app. Google’s web page for the service states that it “will never use the VPN connection to track, log, or sell your browsing activity.”

The company has also taken other steps to assuage privacy-conscious users. Google released a part of the source code for the VPN on GitHub and, looking ahead, plans to have the “end-to-end systems” powering the service independently audited in 2021. 

“We already build advanced security into all our products, and the VPN extends that security to encrypt all of your phone’s online traffic, no matter what app or browser you’re using,” Google One director Larissa Fontaine wrote in a blog post. “The VPN is built into the Google One app, so with just one tap, you can rest assured knowing your connection is safe from hackers.”

Besides extra Google Account storage space and the VPN, the Google One bundle offers a range of smaller benefits, including the ability to earn more points on app purchases via the Google Play reward program. Google One gives the search giant another way to generate revenue from Android’s massive global installed base.

Rival Apple Inc.’s investment in subscription services has paid significant dividends: The company reported on Thursday that its Services business’ revenue rose 16%, to $14.5 billion, in its fiscal fourth quarter.

Image: Google