Google Fi expanding VPN service from Android to iPhone

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited June 2024

Google is using "Safer Internet Day" to announce an improvement to Google Fi VPN, by expanding access to the service to iPhone users.




Up until Tuesday, Apple had only provided its Project Fi VPN to Android users, despite the low-cost carrier Google Fi being available to use on iPhones since 2018. Now, Google is finally bringing the VPN to iOS.

"Everyone should have easy access to tools that protect their personal information," writes Google in a blog post announcing the expansion. The VPN will be available to iPhone users of the service starting in the spring.

At the same time, Google is bringing the Android variant of the VPN out of beta. Performance improvements are also being included to make the VPN work more effectively across apps and services on an Android device.

Android users are also benefiting from a new privacy and security hub within the Fi app. The hub will explain Fi's privacy and security features, as well as providing tool to manage them.

The Fi VPN has so far been a success for Google, with high usage by subscribers. Google claims the VPN (check VPN deals) secures over 226 TB of data each day, which the company approximates is enough data to stream video to one user for 107 years.

The last major change to Google Fi for iPhone users was in May 2020, when it enabled support for the eSIM included in newer generations of iPhones. The change enabled customers of the MVNO to free up the physical SIM slot on dual-SIM iPhones so they can use other services in tandem.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    widmarkwidmark Posts: 38member
    “Apple Google had only provided its Project Fi VPN to Android users”

    Running all net traffic through a Google product is increasing security? Out of the pan and into the fire!
    wwinter86mrstepwilliamlondonGG1Alex1NolsDogpersonwatto_cobra
     8Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 10
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 609member
    "Everyone should have easy access to tools that protect their personal information"

    They should. Which is why you shouldn't route all of your personal information through Google.
    wwinter86williamlondonGG1Alex1NolsDogpersonwatto_cobra
     7Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 10
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,942member
    Besides VPN; Similar to android wish Google Fi supports automatic switching of carrier on iPhone.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 10
    mrstepmrstep Posts: 531member
    widmark said:
    “Apple Google had only provided its Project Fi VPN to Android users”

    Running all net traffic through a Google product is increasing security? Out of the pan and into the fire!
    No doubt. Aside from using the FaceBook VPN that got banned, I can't imagine a less appealing way of giving up all of my personal information.
    williamlondonolsDogpersonwatto_cobra
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 10
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,719member
    mrstep said:
    widmark said:
    “Apple Google had only provided its Project Fi VPN to Android users”

    Running all net traffic through a Google product is increasing security? Out of the pan and into the fire!
    No doubt. Aside from using the FaceBook VPN that got banned, I can't imagine a less appealing way of giving up all of my personal information.

    AFACT You don't give up personal information while using ProjectFi.
    https://support.google.com/fi/answer/10388412#zippy=,how-the-fi-vpn-works,how-we-protect-your-data,youre-in-control

    I don't think anyone commenting up until now had bothered looking into Project F, how it works, and how it increases your privacy.
    muthuk_vanalingamOferGG1Alex1N
     2Likes 0Dislikes 2Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 10
    sgordonsgordon Posts: 57member
    False sense of security firstly security comes from end to end not end to middle, and certainly not when the middle is Google
    olsDogpersonwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 7 of 10
    widmarkwidmark Posts: 38member
    gatorguy said:

    I don't think anyone commenting up until now had bothered looking into Project F, how it works, and how it increases your privacy.

    You’re embarrassing yourself with lack of understanding of how a VPN works and taking shots at people who do understand.  Hint: Notice in your link a reference to protecting you from third party monitoring.  There’s a reason they say third party and not “any”.
    Dogpersonwatto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 8 of 10
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,719member
    widmark said:
    gatorguy said:

    I don't think anyone commenting up until now had bothered looking into Project F, how it works, and how it increases your privacy.

    You’re embarrassing yourself with lack of understanding of how a VPN works and taking shots at people who do understand.  Hint: Notice in your link a reference to protecting you from third party monitoring.  There’s a reason they say third party and not “any”.

    The Fi VPN increases protection for your online activity by:

    • Using a one-time token so that your online activity isn’t tied to your Google account or phone number
    • Encrypting your online activity between your phone and Fi’s VPN servers
    • Hiding your IP address

    Google Fi doesn’t tie your online activity to who you are

    Your VPN session is established with a one-time token that’s not linked to your Google Account or your phone number. When you turn on the VPN, Google Fi confirms with one of our servers that you’re a valid user.

    The server sends back a one-time token, which has no information about you. The server just verifies if you can use the VPN. With this token, the VPN establishes a connection with our VPN server. Our VPN servers make sure that the token is valid, which allows you to use the VPN.

    "Because the server we use to make sure that you’re a valid user is separate from our VPN servers, our VPN servers only know if you can use the VPN. Our VPN servers can’t tell who you are...

    Google Fi may take actions to prevent abuse over the VPN, but we do so in a way that still maintains your privacy. Because we don’t tie your Google Account to your VPN connection, we can’t tie this traffic back to who you are."



    edited February 2021
    muthuk_vanalingamzimmie
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  • Reply 9 of 10
    widmarkwidmark Posts: 38member
    Abbreviated: You’re trusting Google with access to all your traffic.

    The service will protect you from non Google monitoring on public WiFi, which if you’re in a place like China, is definitely better than no VPN though.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 10
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,719member
    widmark said:
    Abbreviated: You’re trusting Google with access to all your traffic.

    The service will protect you from non Google monitoring on public WiFi, which if you’re in a place like China, is definitely better than no VPN though.
    Considering the specificity of the privacy and non-tracking claims Google makes with Project Fi  I don't see there's a risk with routing encrypted traffic thru isolated Google servers. It's not like the decade old wifi snippet gathering that took place in Germany with no advance disclosures of the privacy implications. In this instance, Google is being quite specific and not giving themselves an "out" if they were found to be less than honest about it. 

    IMO it's far safer than even using a US telcos network from a privacy perspective. 
    command_f
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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