Google Photos gets cool new features just in time for it to not be free

Google Photos is set to cease unlimited uploads in just a few weeks, but the company has now announced a load of new features at its I/O event if you’re planning to stay anyway.

For starters, the company has announced a so-called Little Patterns feature for Memories. This essentially groups visually similar photos together and makes a collection out of them.

“Starting later this summer, when we find a set of three or more photos that share things like shape or color, we’ll highlight these little patterns for you in your Memories,” the company explained in a blog post, while giving the example of someone wearing the same backpack over the years.

Google also confirmed that it’s rolling out two new memory-related features today, as it offers “best of month” highlights and trip highlights. Later this year, it’ll be rolling out memories based on events like Diwali, Hannukah, and the Lunar New Year.

The search giant is also delivering a new moving image feature called Cinematic moments. This uses machine learning to synthesize motion between two near-identical photos. Check out the GIF below to see how it works.

What if there are some memories you don’t really want to see again? Well, the company says it already offers the ability to hide photos of specific people or time periods and says it’s adding more controls (without detailing what to expect in this regard). But Google says it will make these existing options easier to find “later this summer.”

Google has also introduced a Locked Folder feature in Photos, allowing you to hide specific photos behind a fingerprint or PIN. You can read more in our dedicated article here.

Do these features (and features like this) have any bearing on your decision to stay or leave Google Photos? Let us know in the comments.