Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are well-known for their April Fool’s Day pranks, but one joke in 2004 ended up changing the way we think about email storage forever. On that day, they announced the launch of Gmail, a free email service with a whopping 1 gigabyte of storage per account. This was a significant amount at the time and came with the added bonus of Google’s search technology integrated right into the platform.
The development of Gmail, codenamed “Caribou” after a Dilbert joke, took three years and was revealed to the media to establish credibility. The service quickly gained traction and now boasts an estimated 1.8 billion active accounts, offering 15 gigabytes of free storage along with Google Photos and Google Drive integration.
Gmail’s success paved the way for Google’s expansion beyond search, leading to the introduction of popular products like Google Maps, Google Docs, YouTube, Chrome browser, and the Android operating system. However, it also raised concerns about digital surveillance, as Google admitted to scanning email content for advertising purposes.
Initially, Gmail was invite-only, fueling demand and exclusivity. At one point, invitations were even being sold for $250 on eBay. But in 2007, Google opened up the service to the public, leading to widespread adoption.
Despite its success, Google hasn’t lost its sense of humor. In 2007, they announced a joke feature called “Gmail Paper,” where users could have their email archive printed out and mailed to them. This playful spirit is just one example of the many ways Google continues to innovate and surprise us.
