Google One users received bad news today as the company announced the elimination of its VPN feature in the coming months. Google One's VPN, which was introduced in October 2020, designed to give an extra layer of online protection for Android users, giving piece of mind in terms of data safety. Despite its original promise, Google acknowledged that use of the VPN capability was substantially lower than expected, prompting its withdrawal.

The VPN was initially accessible solely to Premium plan members at a monthly cost of $9.99, but was later dropped to $1.99 in March 2023. Despite the price cut, adoption rates remained modest, causing Google to redirect its emphasis to other popular features on the Google One platform, according to 9to5google.

The decision to discontinue the VPN option is consistent with Google's recent attempts to simplify its services and prioritize features that increase user engagement. Earlier this year, Google One celebrated 100 million customers, with CEO Sundar Pichai citing AI technology as a significant growth driver.

Existing Google One VPN users will be referred to third-party VPN options, with no stated timeframe for cessation. However, Google promises consumers that the move will be painless.