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Google have just announced (and are also emailing users) that they are changing their Map API so that users need to have enabled billing (given Google access to a credit card!).
They only announced this on May 2nd 2018 so people are just starting to ask questions.
"Beginning June 11, you’ll need a valid API key and a Google Cloud Platform billing account to access our core products. Once you enable billing, you will gain access to your $200 of free monthly usage to use for our Maps, Routes, and Places products."
I can (already) see this won't go down well for lots of users. Many people, schools, hobby sites, etc. use a Google Map - I can't see them all being happy to give Google a credit card for this service. It's not clear at the moment if people with maps that haven't 'enabled billing' will immediately stop working come the 11th June 2018.
Something else to look at!
They only announced this on May 2nd 2018 so people are just starting to ask questions.
"Beginning June 11, you’ll need a valid API key and a Google Cloud Platform billing account to access our core products. Once you enable billing, you will gain access to your $200 of free monthly usage to use for our Maps, Routes, and Places products."
I can (already) see this won't go down well for lots of users. Many people, schools, hobby sites, etc. use a Google Map - I can't see them all being happy to give Google a credit card for this service. It's not clear at the moment if people with maps that haven't 'enabled billing' will immediately stop working come the 11th June 2018.
Something else to look at!
Hmmm... Hmmm... wrote:
...Google still aren't been totally clear on their changes, but from some online replies to people (though they often contradict themselves!) it looks like if you are an existing user with an API key for your map you shouldn't need to have billing (credit card) in place to access the free quota. I'm hoping this will be the case!...
Hmmm... The new system started yesterday. For me, the above statement is true - so all good so far.
Registered users will have an email from Google saying the new pricing and terms have gone into effect.
Mine says:
"If your usage stays at its current level, you can continue using Maps, Routes, and Places for free - your current rate of usage is covered by our $200 free monthly credit.
If you set up a billing account now, you’ll benefit from free, 24-hour Google customer support. Adding a billing account will also ensure that if your usage spikes, your projects will not experience a service interruption."
When Google announced this change the email I received said:
"Action Required.
In addition, this change will require you to enable billing and associate it with all of your Google Maps Platform projects. Creating a billing account helps us better understand your usage so we can continue developing helpful products. It also allows you to scale easily with less downtime and fewer performance issues if your product grows beyond the $200 of free monthly usage. For additional visibility and control you can set daily quotas or billing alerts."
So either the first communication was badly written or they've had a change of plan!
Hmmm... 
Thanks Hmmm ... soz, my bad :¬)
Quite a problem ... if you walk I guess and can't read a map! Some cars and vans have onboard sat nav systems, others have Teletrac and then there's Tom Tom ... so why do you need sat nav on your phone anyway?
From the platers I talk to, it's usually incorrect anyway.
From the platers I talk to, it's usually incorrect anyway.
Over the weekend I noticed some Google maps were now showing a degraded map watermarked with 'development purposes only'. This seems to have reverted today - so normal maps are being shown.
Along with their billing changes all Google maps must also have a valid API key. Up to now that wasn't mandatory.
Google still aren't been totally clear on their changes, but from some online replies to people (though they often contradict themselves!) it looks like if you are an existing user with an API key for your map you shouldn't need to have billing (credit card) in place to access the free quota. I'm hoping this will be the case!
For new sign-ups you are forced to go down the billing route.
It's a big change - the allowed free maps changes from 25,000 map views a day to 28,000 per MONTH!
Along with their billing changes all Google maps must also have a valid API key. Up to now that wasn't mandatory.
Google still aren't been totally clear on their changes, but from some online replies to people (though they often contradict themselves!) it looks like if you are an existing user with an API key for your map you shouldn't need to have billing (credit card) in place to access the free quota. I'm hoping this will be the case!
For new sign-ups you are forced to go down the billing route.
It's a big change - the allowed free maps changes from 25,000 map views a day to 28,000 per MONTH!
Hmmm...
For all you Google Maps API users out there!
Google have delayed their new system/pricing plans - it was going to start from today (11th June) but it's now the 16th July!
Google's blog announcement.
I wondered why my maps were still working
Google have delayed their new system/pricing plans - it was going to start from today (11th June) but it's now the 16th July!
Google's blog announcement.
I wondered why my maps were still working
Hmmm...
Digging around in the 'guide', I'm hoping this statement will keep things running for those with maps and don't 'enable billing':
Is a credit card or billing account required?
Even though your first $200 of monthly usage is free, all Google Cloud Platform services require a credit card and billing account, to cover any amount you spend over this free credit. If you are billed, we'll credit your account for the first $200 of monthly usage. If you choose not to add a billing account, there is a risk that if your usage exceeds $200 in a given month, your Maps API implementation will be degraded or other API requests will return an error. If your estimated usage will be above $200 a month and you don't have a credit or debit card to set up a billing account, a local Google Maps Partner may be able to help.
I'm sure Google could have announced/handled this better!
#DoNoEvil
Is a credit card or billing account required?
Even though your first $200 of monthly usage is free, all Google Cloud Platform services require a credit card and billing account, to cover any amount you spend over this free credit. If you are billed, we'll credit your account for the first $200 of monthly usage. If you choose not to add a billing account, there is a risk that if your usage exceeds $200 in a given month, your Maps API implementation will be degraded or other API requests will return an error. If your estimated usage will be above $200 a month and you don't have a credit or debit card to set up a billing account, a local Google Maps Partner may be able to help.
I'm sure Google could have announced/handled this better!
#DoNoEvil
Hmmm...
Google have just announced (and are also emailing users) that they are changing their Map API so that users need to have enabled billing (given Google access to a credit card!).
They only announced this on May 2nd 2018 so people are just starting to ask questions.
"Beginning June 11, you’ll need a valid API key and a Google Cloud Platform billing account to access our core products. Once you enable billing, you will gain access to your $200 of free monthly usage to use for our Maps, Routes, and Places products."
I can (already) see this won't go down well for lots of users. Many people, schools, hobby sites, etc. use a Google Map - I can't see them all being happy to give Google a credit card for this service. It's not clear at the moment if people with maps that haven't 'enabled billing' will immediately stop working come the 11th June 2018.
Something else to look at!
They only announced this on May 2nd 2018 so people are just starting to ask questions.
"Beginning June 11, you’ll need a valid API key and a Google Cloud Platform billing account to access our core products. Once you enable billing, you will gain access to your $200 of free monthly usage to use for our Maps, Routes, and Places products."
I can (already) see this won't go down well for lots of users. Many people, schools, hobby sites, etc. use a Google Map - I can't see them all being happy to give Google a credit card for this service. It's not clear at the moment if people with maps that haven't 'enabled billing' will immediately stop working come the 11th June 2018.
Something else to look at!
Hmmm...