Google rolls out online storage for all file types

Google Docs users will soon be able to upload any file type to a new online storage facility, the company announced on Tuesday.

It is already possible to keep certain file types in Google's cloud for collaboration purposes, including text documents, forms, spreadsheets and presentations. The new facility — to be rolled out over the next few weeks — will make it possible to store and share ZIP archives, large graphics files and any other file type.

Each user will get a gigabyte of storage, and the maximum supported file size is 250MB, which is 10 times the maximum size limit for email attachments on Gmail.

Enterprises and organisations that subscribe to Google Apps Premier Edition will also be able to use the Google Documents List Data API for batch uploading, and third-party applications are available for the migration and synchronisation of files to Google Docs.

According to a blog post by Google Docs product manager Vijay Bangaru, Google Apps Premier Edition customers will also, at some point in the coming months, be able to purchase additional storage for €3 (£2.70) per gigabyte, per year.

Bangaru described the new storage facility as a "great way to collaborate on files with co-workers and external parties".

"Instead of using cumbersome email attachments, you can upload files to a folder and share it with co-workers, who can then access and edit the files from a single place," Bangaru wrote. "You can even have your sales team securely share contracts with external clients for review."

Under EU data-protection legislation, European companies have to keep their sensitive and personal data on EU servers. At the time of writing, Google represenatives were unable to confirm that European customers taking advantage of the new storage facility will not have their data stored elsewhere.