Airtel, Google team up to counter Jio's free cloud blitz
New Delhi: Bharti Airtel has partnered with Google to offer 100 GB of Google One cloud storage at no cost for six months to its postpaid and Airtel Wi-Fi users. The move follows Reliance Jio's earlier offer of free cloud storage to its prepaid and postpaid users.
Unlike Jio, which has now revised its offer from 100 GB to 50 GB of free cloud storage with no specified validity, Airtel is offering 100 GB of Google One cloud storage free for six months.
Airtel's postpaid and Wi-Fi users will have to pay ₹ 125 per month to use Google One subscription for storing their photos, Gmail data, WhatsApp data, etc. The fee is lower than ₹ 130 per month, which Google charges users after their free storage of 15 GB ends.
Currently, Google offers the 100 GB plan at ₹ 35 per month for the first three months after users exhaust their default 15 GB of free storage.
Telecom operators' offer for free cloud storage to their subscribers comes at a time when users are increasingly struggling with storage constraints, especially after WhatsApp backups began counting toward Google cloud limits. In the absence of storage, users have to frequently delete files or resort to expensive physical storage expansions.
'With smartphones becoming the main device for managing both personal and professional information, storage has become a significant concern for users,' said Siddharth Sharma, director marketing and CEO – Connected Homes at Bharti Airtel. 'This partnership (with Google) will present an opportunity for millions of our postpaid, Wi-Fi customers, allowing them access to a further 100 GB of storage.'
As of the end of March, Bharti Airtel had 25.8 million postpaid users out of its total India mobile user base of 361.6 million.
As part of the offer, Airtel will allow its users to share the storage with up to five additional people. Additionally, WhatsApp chats on Android are backed up to Google Account storage which will make device switching easier for customers, Airtel said in a release.
"Together, we will make it easier for our users to safely back up photos, videos and important files on their phones with more storage across Google Photos, Drive, Gmail and more,' said Karen Teo, vice president, platforms & devices Partnerships, APAC, Google.
Jio, meanwhile, offers its Jio AI Cloud service for backing up various types of files. While it doesn't specifically support WhatsApp backups, it allows general data backup.
At the 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in August last year, Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani announced the Jio AI Cloud welcome offer of 100 GB of free cloud storage. The offer was rolled out by the company in November.
Industry executives in the know said Jio later revised the offer with 50 GB free storage after an increase in usage. For non-Jio users, the free cloud storage is for three months, which can be upgraded to a non-timeline offer if they port to Jio.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Intern to CEO overnight? Bengaluru youth's ‘AI startup got funded' exit sparks LinkedIn buzz on ambition and arrogance
What started as a routine check-in became a viral sensation after a Bengaluru intern casually informed their employer that they were quitting the internship—because their AI startup had just received funding. The straightforward WhatsApp message, shared widely across platforms, especially LinkedIn, has ignited conversations around the ever-evolving dynamics of startup ambition, tech culture, and the unpredictable arc of modern careers. The now-viral screenshot was posted by entrepreneur Aashish Jhunjhunwala, who distilled the incident into three punchy observations: anything will sell if it mentions 'AI'; today's intern could be tomorrow's CEO; and Bengaluru continues to wear the crown as India's undisputed startup capital. The one-line exit that said it all In the screenshot, an employer checks in with a message: 'Hey, what happened to you last Friday? I didn't see you in office.' Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo The intern's reply was as brief as it was bold: 'Hey, sorry I took a leave because I had a meeting with a VC. My AI startup got funded. I don't need the internship anymore.' That single line has since taken on a life of its own, sparking both admiration and scepticism online. Some hailed the intern's courage and timing, while others questioned the maturity and tone of the abrupt departure. You Might Also Like: Too 'founder-y' to hire, not corporate enough to fit in: Former startup owner's candid job hunt post strikes a chord on Reddit LinkedIn turns into a commentary board Reactions to the post have ranged from celebratory to sarcastic. One user quipped, 'The next answer by the manager to the ex-intern could be—'Can you hire me for a role please!'' Another offered a dose of realism: 'You mean to say shallow arrogance? I'm sure he'll be back as an intern, and this time he might be okay with it being unpaid.' A third comment drove the point home: 'The fourth takeaway is that we can never predict when the CEO or Founder might become an intern again. So maybe don't burn bridges with 'I don't need the internship anymore.'' The blurred lines of ambition and humility The viral episode is more than just internet amusement. It reflects a deeper truth about the Indian startup ecosystem—particularly in Bengaluru—where ambition can flip scripts overnight. The allure of AI, the influx of venture capital, and the energy of young innovators are creating an environment where career paths no longer move in straight lines. But the internet also seems to be asking a valid question: Does success—especially early and sudden—excuse tone-deafness? Or is it just a new brand of confidence shaped by a digital-first, hustle-heavy generation? You Might Also Like: 'Loyalty does not guarantee safety': Laid-off engineer's viral LinkedIn post exposes the brutal truth about modern corporate layoffs As India's startup scene continues to mature, perhaps it's not just about funding or titles anymore, but also about how gracefully one navigates the ride—both on the way up and, possibly, on the way down.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Bengaluru Intern Sparks Buzz With Exit Message: ‘My AI Startup Got Funded'
Last Updated: In the WhatsApp conversation, the intern tells their employer they no longer need the internship because their startup got funded. For many, internships play a big role in setting off one's career path. They offer a first real taste of the working world. Most people use this time to learn, grow and prepare for the next step which is usually a full-time job. But for one person, that long journey was cut short before it could even properly begin and for all the right reasons. Recently, a WhatsApp chat between an intern and their employer caught everyone's attention after being shared on LinkedIn. The post was shared by Aashish Jhunjhunwala, Founder of Stealth. He uploaded a screenshot of the chat which was shared on X with the caption, 'This only happens in Bangalore." The conversation begins with the employer texting the intern, 'Hey, what happened to you last Friday? I didn't see you in office." The intern responds with: 'Hey, sorry I took a leave because I had a meeting with a VC. My AI startup got funded. I don't need the internship anymore." Aashish captioned the post with: '3 key takeaways from the below screenshot" He went on to write: '3. Bengaluru is the startup capital of India 2. You never know when your intern/subordinate can become a CEO/Founder 1. Anything will sell if you mention 'AI'." In the comment section, some people praised the intern's bold move while others criticised the attitude behind the message. One user commented, 'Your insights resonate deeply. The rapid evolution of roles in startups truly highlights the importance of nurturing talent, as today's intern could very well be tomorrow's leader. Additionally, the emphasis on AI in every aspect is a crucial reminder of the ongoing digital transformation in our industries. Thank you for sharing these valuable takeaways." Another said, 'The 4th takeaway is that we can never predict when the CEO/Founder may become an intern again. So, it is best not to say 'I don't need the internship anymore"." 'You mean to say shallow arrogance? I am sure he will come back as an intern again and this time he will be ok with unpaid internships," someone wrote. '99% of those interns will be back on dihadi (incredibly low wage) in a few years. (Figure just to illustrate the stark reality)," read a remark. An individual jokingly noted, 'The next answer by the manager to the ex-intern could be – Can you hire me for a role please?" Recently, Vinay Hiremath, the co-founder of Loom, made headlines for a surprising reason. After selling his company to Atlassian for around $1 billion in 2023 and earning between $50 and $70 million, he even refused a retention bonus worth $60 million. Despite all that success, he is now looking for internships. First Published:
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Too ‘founder-y' to hire, not corporate enough to fit in: Former startup owner's candid job hunt post strikes a chord on Reddit
It's a story that doesn't get much attention, TED talks, or VC applause—but one that's becoming increasingly common. A Reddit post on r/StartUpIndia from a former Indian startup founder has opened the floodgates of empathy and brutal truth about the aftermath of a failed entrepreneurial journey . After building a health-focused food and beverage product with two friends—bootstrapping, multitasking, and learning everything from scratch—he now finds himself lost in a job market that doesn't know where to place him. 'We Built, We Burned, Now What?' The post reads like a quiet elegy to a dream that once soared. The founder speaks of wearing every possible hat—from marketing and finance to customer support and design. No AI tools then, just endless Google searches and YouTube tutorials. Despite the hustle, the venture hit a ceiling—unable to scale, with no funds left to pump in. His partners stepped away, and the founder reluctantly began job hunting, only to be met with silence or, worse, rejection for being 'overqualified,' 'too founder-y,' or 'not domain-specific enough.' The Dilemma of the 'Misfit' He's not asking for a CXO role. Just a chance to contribute—to bring the value of lived, practical experience into structured setups. But the corporate world, as netizens pointed out, often sees people like him as unsafe bets. 'They want people who can innovate within their control,' one user wrote, echoing a harsh truth. In a system that prizes predictability over potential, founders are sometimes viewed with suspicion. Netizens Share Brutal Truths and Hope The post has garnered strong, supportive reactions from fellow Redditors and professionals. One suggested looking into startups within the same industry. Another spoke about the Indian corporate system's rigidity when it comes to reabsorbing former entrepreneurs. 'You, my friend, will have to search harder,' they wrote. Yet another comment advised the path of an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR), using past mistakes as fuel for new guidance. There's also a silver lining. As one commenter noted, 'Take one skill you truly own… and share it.' Whether through learning platforms, consultancy, or new ventures, those hard-earned insights don't need to die quietly. They can be repurposed and rebranded. Because in this era of AI-led disruption and rapid change, real experience still holds immense, if underappreciated, power. The Bottom Line Not all founder stories end with acquisition, IPOs, or Forbes covers. Some end in silence, in resumes ignored, in doors half-open. But these quiet chapters deserve to be told—because they are real, raw, and deeply human. And perhaps, like the Redditor in question, others floating in the 'in-between' will find solace in knowing they're not alone.
