Google One, Alphabet’s new cloud-based subscription productivity suite, is now available to new users. Announced a few months ago and rolled out to existing Google Drive subscribers, Google One plans will start at $1.99 per month for 100 GB, $2.99 for 200 GB and $9.99 for 2 TB, up to 30 TB. Google One brings with it discounts on hotels when searched for via Google Maps, as well as Google Play credits. While storage can be shared across multiple users, Google One is currently a consumer product and only available for US subscribers.
The content world saw the launch of the WPBeginner Growth Accelerator Fund, a new initiative for helping small businesses grow and compete with larger players in the space. WPBeginner will invest $100K-$500K in a small group of WordPress-focused businesses, helping to “refine and optimize their existing product/processes” through involvement in operations, access to WPBeginner’s extensive media resources and business network. The first round of the fund will involve hand-picking five WordPress companies to invest in and mentor.
In software news, Apple has pulled iOS 12 beta 7 less than a day into its testing, offering no explanation for ending the beta period. While the full firmware file (.IPSW) is still available online, the release is not being pushed to developers. The beta was intended to be a performance update with the goal of improving performance on older, lower RAM devices like older models of the iPhone and iPads, dating back to 2013.
Featured in e-commerce businesses this week we have a $411K kitchen and dining accessories business, with hundreds of five-star reviews and an average product rating of 4.9 stars, secure foothold in a large and growing industry, scalable cost structure driving strong net margins and automated and robust operations allowing for low owner involvement.
Featured in PaaS listings this week we have a $279K music and events membership platform, with a reputable brand with years of operational history in a growing niche, large user base of hundreds of customers across dozens of countries, stable and predictable traffic with over 100,000 sessions and 550,000 page views in the last twelve months and automated operations allowing for low owner involvement. If you are interested in either of these businesses, please follow the links to request a prospectus.
In events news, FE will be sponsoring August’s Boston E-Commerce Meetup. Join us to hear the expert panel discuss Website Optimization in E-Commerce on August 28 at WeWork South Station. Meet local businesses and investors in the Boston area over a drink and a bite to eat. See you there!
Continue reading below for more on the Google One cloud suite, WPBeginner’s new fund, and Apple iOS 12 beta.
Listings
Featured
E-Commerce – Kitchen & Dining Accessories – $70K gross/mo
- Market-leading brand with hundreds of five-star reviews and an average product rating of 4.9 stars
- Secure foothold in a large and growing industry
- Scalable cost structure driving strong net margins
- Automated and robust operations allowing for low owner involvement
Yearly net profit: $144,000
Asking price $411,000
PaaS – Music & Events Membership Platform – $7.1K gross/mo
- Reputable brand with years of operational history in a growing niche
- Large user base of hundreds of customers across dozens of countries
- Stable and predictable traffic with over 100,000 sessions and 550,000 page views in the LTM
- Automated operations allowing for low owner involvement
Yearly net profit: $81,000
Asking price $279,000
Sold
Digital Services – Social Media Marketing – $15K MRR
Affiliate – Parenting – $2K gross/mo
In The News…
Google One Cloud Service Opens to Subscribers
Google has released Google One, a cloud-based subscription productivity suite, to new users.
The past few weeks has seen existing Google Drive subscribers be rolled over onto a Google One membership. Now, new users have the ability to subscribe to Google One as well, provided they are in the US. With a range of data options, plans start at 100 GB for $1.99 and move up through 200 GB for $2.99, 2 TB for $9.99, 10 TB for $99.99 and up to 30 TB for $299.99 per month. Storage allotments can be shared with up to five people on the same plan, and Google is offering 24/7 live support to subscribers. Google will also add other perks to subscribers’ packages, among them being credits on Google Play and deals for purchases made through the Google Store and Google Express.
Currently, One remains a consumer product and Drive is still the only service available for businesses.
WPBeginner Launches Fund
WPBeginner has launched a fund to support the growth of small WordPress-based businesses.
The initiative will invest between $100K-$500K in a small group of WordPress-based businesses, working alongside the founders to “refine and optimize their existing product / processes by using the Awesome Motive playbook.” Having gained experience over the last 10 years talking with WordPress users, WPBeginner is now leveraging their expertise into consulting with founders and small business owners of WordPress sites to help them accomplish their end goals and build their businesses. Of the fund’s investment philosophy, the company stated, “We know that independence is one of the main reasons why people want to create a business in the first place, and it’s also one of the reasons why businesses succeed. Our goal is to interfere as little as possible with the day to day.” Training and expertise are the largest value offerings in the fund, with capital as a secondary bolster.
Owners of existing WordPress businesses can apply for the fund here.
Apple Pulls iOS 12 Beta
Apple has just pulled the latest beta of its iOS 12 software after a day.
iOS 12, is intended to be a performance update with Apple stating that it sought to improve performance on older, lower RAM devices like the iPhone 6. The platform release is available for iPhones and iPads going back to 2013: the iPhone 5S and the original iPad Air. And so far, it had been running comparatively smoothly. However shortly after Beta 7 was made available for an OTA download, developers and testers started reporting cripplingly long application startup times, an issue that some reported went away after a period. Apple also removed Group FaceTime (supporting up to 32 concurrent users) from Beta 7 – explaining via the Release Notes that it will “ship in a future software update this fall”. A public release of the annual platform update usually follows days after a hardware launch which takes place in mid to late September. Once open only to paying developers, Apple has opened the beta programme to tyre-kickers, something Google has opted to copy.
The full firmware file (.IPSW) is still online, but the release is no longer being pushed to developers.
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