What you need to know
- Google Photos is receiving major creativity updates thanks to its AI software.
- The app will immediately receive photo to video functionality, just like Gemini. This allows users to create short 6-second clips of static images.
- The update also includes “Remix”. This allows users to turn their actual photos into animation, 3D animation, and more.
- Google Photos is preparing to house all of your AI generation capabilities in a new “Create” tab.
Google is rolling out a major update to its Photos app today (July 23rd).
In a press release, Google announced that the Photos app is beginning to receive familiar photo-to-video features. Similar to what the company deployed for Gemini in July, Google Photos will receive photo-to-video capabilities with Veo 2.
If you unfold today (July 23rd), Google says that Photo app users will notice a splash page showing “Turn photos into videos.” Users can select a photo and then choose “Subtle Movement” or “I feel lucky.” The former is small and light, while the latter allows your family to throw confetti into the air.
Google says these clips are 6 seconds long and can be shared by users once they are created.
Clips and remixes
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Similarly, users can “save” the clips generated by AI, if necessary, or “play” them to try something new until they're right.
Google Photo to Video feature in the Photos app is rolling out today on Android and iOS devices in the US
With similar AI-created veins, Google highlights another feature that heads towards devices called “Remix” today. Remixing photos allows users to rethink from a whole new perspective. Think about turning Christmas photos into anime snapshots or simple birthday party photos. Google adds that users will find other options, such as “comics” and “3D animations.”
Finally, the app can generate remixes of people and pets. Google says Remix will unfold in photos “in the coming weeks” on Android and US iOS devices
Additionally, Google has repeatedly said that photos reconsidered through Remix have a SynthID digital watermark, so others know that the content they are watching has been generated by AI. Despite officially rolling it out to all users, Google warns that these features (remix and photo to video) are experimental. The AI generation says it can make things wrong and encourages users to provide feedback to the generation via thumbs up and thumb down icons.
Creation hub
The latest features of Google Photos will fly solo for a while. However, the company plans to introduce a new “Create” tab in August.
This tab is featured along the bottom of the app's UI and along other options such as Photos, Collections, and Search. From here, Create Tab offers many photo app AI features, including the recently introduced Photo-To-Video and remixing features. Users will also find collages, highlight videos and more when this tab arrives.
US users are said to have received this creation tab first at the launch in August.
