Google Ends Android Backup Exemption, Counts All Data Against 15GB Free Quota Starting July 7

Google is folding Android backup data—app settings, call logs, SMS threads—into users' 15GB free storage quota beginning July 7. Previously, only photos and video in MMS counted against the cap. Google estimates the shift adds roughly 40MB per user on average, but users with large app datasets or lengthy message histories will exceed that. New granular controls let users exclude specific categories from backup. Existing users roll over gradually; new Android users see the change immediately.