Microsoft has made a significant about-face in response to an outpouring of objections from OneDrive users following a proposed change to the way the cloud storage service counted photos.
Earlier this year, Microsoft sent emails to OneDrive users, notifying them of an impending alteration: “Soon, data from photos saved in your Gallery and in your albums will each count separately against your total Microsoft storage quota.” This shift was set to roll out to users beginning on October 16.
The announcement of this upcoming change sparked a wave of discontent among users. Under the new policy, if a user uploaded a photo and placed it in an album, such as ‘Holiday photos,’ OneDrive would deduct the file size from the storage allowance twice – once for the default Gallery upload and then again for the album where the image was stored. If the same image was placed in multiple albums, it would further reduce the available online storage space.
For individuals with extensive photo collections, this change could have had a significant impact, potentially exhausting their storage allocation. Adding to the frustration, Microsoft had recently modified how its free Outlook email service accounted for email attachments and inline images against OneDrive storage quotas.
These adjustments left many users facing the possibility of running out of OneDrive space, as Microsoft clarified in its email to users: “if you are over your storage limit, you will not be able to save new files to OneDrive, sync files to OneDrive, and send or receive emails in Outlook.com.”
In anticipation of potential discontent, Microsoft offered a “one-time storage bonus” that would activate when the data change took effect, lasting for one year and ensuring the continuity of Outlook.com emails.
However, user protests persisted, prompting Microsoft to backtrack on its plans. On its website, the company stated, “Based on the feedback we received, we have adjusted our approach; we will no longer roll out this update. We will maintain the current photo album experience as it is today.”
Microsoft’s decision to heed user feedback and retract these proposed changes is commendable. It underscores the importance of companies being responsive to user concerns and willing to reevaluate decisions when needed. While financial viability is essential, ensuring that customers find a service useful and fair is equally crucial.
This incident highlights the value of listening to the user community and making adjustments accordingly. Microsoft’s willingness to reverse unpopular changes is a positive step that sets an example for other companies.
