Google Photos’ My Week Feature Could Turn Things Around For The App

Google Photos seems ready to offer its users a more interactive experience, as the recent code deep dive of the latest app update suggests that the rumoured “My Week” feature would allow users and their friends to “like” and share photos and videos. This would be a huge shift for Google Photos, which has primarily focused on helping users organize their memories.

The “My Week” feature has been rumored to arrive since February as a new way to make sharing even everyday life highlights very easy. Instead of sending individual images or videos to a group chat, the new feature will enable users to curate a collection of the best moments from the past week and send it directly to chosen contacts.

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Will This Feature Turn Google Photos Into Social Media Platform?

The new functionality to like photos and videos adds a new layer to the app. Some specific code references suggest this functionality is coming to the app, and it seems users will be able to react to the photos and videos shared by friends or family, similar to other social media platforms. The new functionality to see who liked your content will further push the app into social media territory.

Now, next time whenever users capture a share-worthy photo or video, with “My Week,” they will be to include it in their weekly update and see their loved ones’ reactions. This would turn the app into a more connected space for sharing life memories.

Users should note that the My Week feature is still at a nascent stage, and there’s no certainty that the company will officially launch it. Moreover, the functionality could change between what’s been unearthed through codes and what would be included in the final product.

It seems the company is looking to make the sharing experience more interactive, which will turn Google Photos into a mini social network for the closed ones. 

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Google Photos Advanced Tools Now Available For Free

Google also recently started giving users free access to tools that were only available for paid users. Users who do not have a Google Photos subscription will now be able to take advantage of the advanced editing tools without paying a $20 fee. 

This means users will be able to use Google’s AI-powered features like Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, and Photo UnBlur. These features will be available for non-subscribers starting May 15. To use these features on smartphones, users will be required to have a smartphone running Android 8.0 or iOS 15 and at least 3GB of RAM.