I started with global smartphone users and tried to work down to active Google Photos users, then estimated photos per user per day.
Break the problem into two parts: first estimate the number of photos uploaded annually by segmenting users and estimating upload frequency, then estimate storage by multiplying by average file size. Use a top-down approach with clear assumptions, and validate with sanity checks.
Pro tip: State your assumptions explicitly and round numbers to simplify calculations; this shows structured thinking and makes your answer easy to follow. Also, consider mentioning that Google Photos offers free unlimited storage for compressed photos, which affects storage estimates.
Define what 'photos' includes (e.g., images, videos) and the time frame (annual). Assume global Google Photos users and average upload behavior.
Start with world population, internet users, smartphone users, and Google Photos adoption rate to estimate monthly active users.
Segment users by activity level (e.g., heavy, medium, light) and assign average photos uploaded per user per year.
Multiply the number of users in each segment by their upload frequency and sum to get total annual uploads.
Assume average file size per photo (e.g., 3 MB for compressed, 5 MB for original) and multiply by total photos to get total storage in bytes, then convert to petabytes/exabytes.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.