Google is making changes to the Memories feature in Photos, which is similar to stories. These automatically generated highlights were previously private, but Google is now adding some sharing options.
If you have an Android device, you will be able to share memories with others natively starting today. Google Photos will allow friends and family to view your memories on any device. The sharing feature will be available soon on iOS and the web.
MORE FROM RAVZGADGET: Joe Biden Speaks After Groundbreaking For Intel’s $20B Semiconductor Plant
The update is part of a larger set of changes to Memories that will be mostly available starting today. The redesigned feature will show more videos, including what Google thinks are your best clips from longer videos you’ve captured.
Photos will automatically select the most meaningful moments from longer videos and save them as memories. Beginning in October, Google will also add instrumental music to some memories.
Google claims that still photos included in memories will have a subtle zoom effect to make them feel less static. On that note, Cinematic Memories are a new type of memory. This will expand on cinematic photos, one of Memories’ most popular effects that generates moving, 3D representations of still images.
Cinematic Memories, which will be available soon, will transform “multiple still photos into an end-to-end cinematic experience,” according to Google. Those memories will include music as well.
There will be a welcome new way to navigate through your memories when viewing them. You can switch between memories by swiping up or down, in addition to tapping on the left or right side of the screen to move between photos in an individual memory. You can still exclude certain people or time periods from appearing in Memories.
A new feature called Styles is also available. This will automatically add graphic art to your memories, possibly brightening them up. Google will initially offer a variety of designs, including limited-time options by artists Shantell Martin and Lisa Congdon.
Users of Photos on Android and iOS will now have access to a new collage editor as of today. You will be able to select images, select a design, and rearrange the layout as you see fit. You can also edit photos in the collage editor by adjusting the contrast and brightness, adding filters, and making other changes.
MORE FROM RAVZGADGET: Marvel’s Midnight Suns Will Arrive On December 2nd
More editing tools, including Portrait Light and HDR options, are available if you own a Pixel or a Google One membership. You’ll also have a larger selection of designs. These collages will also be able to be shared.
According to Google, Memories is one of the most popular features in Photos, with over 3.5 billion views per month. These enhancements may make it even easier to create dynamic highlight clips. While the sharing options remain limited, you can still record a memory with your phone and share it on platforms such as Instagram or Snapchat if you so desire.
