As kayoone said, I already acknowledged that in the post you're responding to.
While I think it is at least somewhat nice that Google did grandfather in existing users, a big part of the appeal for free Google Apps for me is that whenever I had a domain that needed mail but not too much and not worth paying for (because the domain was not a profit maker) I could spin up a free Google Apps easily and know was I was getting because I was used to it. Also I could recommend doing the same to friends in the same situation.
Without that ability in the future, I feel it is in my best interest to start migrating off the platform even on my existing domains, especially when this alternate option (which I was previously unaware of) is available.
I don't pretend to know what Google's cost and benefits were with regard to free Google Apps, or whether this move makes sense in the large, but I can tell you that in my specific case they've begun pushing me away from their email infrastructure altogether with it.
While I think it is at least somewhat nice that Google did grandfather in existing users, a big part of the appeal for free Google Apps for me is that whenever I had a domain that needed mail but not too much and not worth paying for (because the domain was not a profit maker) I could spin up a free Google Apps easily and know was I was getting because I was used to it. Also I could recommend doing the same to friends in the same situation.
Without that ability in the future, I feel it is in my best interest to start migrating off the platform even on my existing domains, especially when this alternate option (which I was previously unaware of) is available.
I don't pretend to know what Google's cost and benefits were with regard to free Google Apps, or whether this move makes sense in the large, but I can tell you that in my specific case they've begun pushing me away from their email infrastructure altogether with it.