As Google continues to add features to its wide range of services, the company knows that you might want to spread the love with family members. The search giant already offers a “family group” feature. In an announcement made yesterday, the company said that it is bringing this functionality to its YouTube TV, Calendar, Keep and Photos services as well.
Family groups are comprised of up to six people, with the “manager” granted administrative duties. In other words, managers can change payment methods, monitor accounts for those under 13 years old, and allow or disallow certain services for certain people. “Parent” accounts do not have such privileges, but they can approve or deny purchase requests and make other restriction changes.
Music sharing occurs through the Google Play Music family plan, which lets you and five family members access the service using their own devices, music libraries and preferences for $14.99 per month. (An individual plan is $9.99.)
Likewise, Google lets you share Google Play Store purchases—apps, games, books, movies, and TV shows—with up to five family members via the Family Library at no additional cost.
More services have been added by Google, including:
YouTube TV
For no additional cost—the service costs $35 per month—you can add five additional family members to your YouTube TV subscription. Each gets their own cloud DVR with unlimited storage space, viewing preferences, and personal content library.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar is already free, but by adding family members, you can all keep track of each other’s’ schedules and create and manage family events on a special family calendar.
Google Keep
Google’s note-taking solution is likewise already free, but now you can capture and share ideas using Keep-based family reminders, shared lists, and notes.
Google Photos
Google announced the amazing new sharing functionality coming to Google Photos last week. And now families will be able to easily share photos and videos using the service.
This is all pretty impressive, obviously. And for anyone wondering when or if Microsoft is ever going to offer a Groove family plan, my advice is to move on to something that actually works well today. In this case Google Play Music.
