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Google Drive Automatically Downloaded and Replaced My Google Docs App

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Android users looking for the Google Docs app might be surprised to discover that it is missing. Google replaced Google Docs for Android with the new Google Drive app on many Android phones.

Google Drive is a free online storage service from Google that keeps documents and data stored in the cloud, accessible by Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC. Google Drive competes with Dropbox, Box.net and iCloud for storage syncing.

While the big news about Google Drive getting “Official” status and fully detailed was going down, I was volunteering at a “Hiring Heroes” Job Fair today, Wi-Fi and 4G was iffy at best. There were rumors all over the web this morning that today was the day we would learn more about Google Drive but I missed out on the excitement.

I arrived home a bit ago and was unwinding on the couch when I caught “Google Drive Successfully Update” on my Galaxy Nexus status bar. This caught me off guard since I had not previously downloaded it, obviously.

My first thought was that Google was pushing the app to those that are signed up and using other Google apps and services. I clicked on the update and was greeted with a set up of sorts.

 

After agreeing to terms, the app asked me if I’d like to get started. After tapping on Get started, the Google Drive apps let me know that my drive wasn’t ready and gave me an option to have them notify me when it is ready.

  

Thanks for the thanks Google. Scrolling down on this screen shows some additional details about Google Drive, including pricing.

 

Here’s the message I got when I tried to access my Google Drive. I jumped out of the app to find the icon and there it is, Drive.

 

I ran Google Drive again and now it looks familiar. I tapped on all items and there are my Google Docs. Wait? I guess this merges with Google Docs. I went back into my tray to see if Google Docs was still there. It’s gone. Now I know what happened. Google Drive replaced Google Docs.

 

Google Drive about shows Drive, Version 1.0.77. I also noticed an alert requesting permission for Google Drive to access LSID.

A quick search on the Google Play website for Google Docs returned this. No it’s confirmed, Google Docs is now Google Drive.

 

Even though it still shows that my drive is still not set up, I was able to upload an image and bring it back down. I am pretty sure this was available with the Google Docs app, but I never used it since I am a Dropbox user. If Google gives me more than 5GB free, I might be swayed. I use many other Google services already.

So there you have it folks, Google isn’t forcing Google Drive on you, they are just snatching Google Docs from underneath you and replacing it with Google Docs.

One note for Google. You should reset the reviews for Google Docs prior to adding it. While there are thousands of new ratings, the old ratings are still there and some aren’t great.

9 Comments

9 Comments

  1. cmwilkerson

    04/25/2012 at 7:44 am

    This makes sense. Google is forcing a migration in hopes that you will eventually be forced to exceed your 5 Gigs and start paying.

  2. Will Fitzpatrick

    04/25/2012 at 3:05 pm

    I’m an avid Dropbox user, but just download signed up for Google drive and see myself swayed. I’ve been paying for 80GB of storage ($20 a year) for my Picasa Web Albums for ages, and the same 80GB’s are also available within Drive (and Gmail if you were interested). This makes it a front runner in my books. And their monthly plans are 50% of the Dropbox ones…

  3. Doug Scott

    05/03/2012 at 11:35 pm

    I like all of the services I receive for free and eventually I will run out of space. I just uploaded another 150 photos for my gold fish gardening site. I feel that it is far to pay for this service since Google’s has free blogging software. Word Press is much more customized but at a cost that I cant rationalize paying. Thanks for the phone screen shots.

  4. Aristarkhos

    06/07/2012 at 1:58 am

    I tried accessing Google Docs from a new laptop from Chrome. I ended up on a Google Drive page, which had no option to skip. I signed in and I reached the Google Docs home page (now Google Drive) with none of my earlier documents in the list. It was a blank list.
    I don’t understand how this migration can also mess with the work i had saved on Google Docs.

    My primary Google account still shows “Documents” as a link at the top of the gmail landing page. I go there and my documents are still there. In my secondary gmail account, Documents link is replaced with Drive and none of my saved files are there.

    This is very annoying…

  5. Rebisch

    07/05/2012 at 3:56 am

    Wow! I would have been pretty upset if I would have used GoogleDocs for the past year, like I almost did, and then my files are gone! Where was the warning e-mail to gmail accounts Docs changed to Drive? Google, “WAKE UP!” Users are getting frustrated. Similarly, I can’t seem to get my feet off the ground with Google+ circles.

    btw Aristarkhos – sorry bout ur files :(

    • Rebisch

      07/05/2012 at 3:59 am

      Oops, had the wrong link to my name – dang it- if Admin can fix it on the first comment that would be fantastic- because I can’t

    • Aristarkhos

      07/14/2012 at 2:32 am

      :) it’s ok. Thankfully i didnt have any thing there that i really cared about too much.
      Google+ – got tired of the random invites and strangers following me. I deleted my plus account. social networking overload, i tell u.

      A

  6. adriaan

    09/04/2012 at 8:47 am

    i just installed drive and thanks to this i lost all my googledocs. thanks google!!! i just lost my job!!!! from now on i will try to live without google.

  7. Michele

    10/11/2012 at 2:11 pm

    GOOGLE , HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? I JUST LOST ALL OF MY GOOGLE DOCS! Frustrated beyond belief!

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