Google is rolling out a new feature for Google Photos that promises to make navigating your photos even easier. The update, currently being tested, introduces a faster way to identify faces in your images, making the process more streamlined and intuitive.
Faster Face Finding
Google Photos is experimenting with a feature that will display thumbnails of detected faces at the bottom of the screen when viewing a photo. This makes it quicker and more convenient to identify people in your images, without needing to tap through multiple menus. The new thumbnails will appear for all detected faces, allowing users to visually recognize faces at a glance.
However, the feature currently lacks name labels, meaning you’ll need to tap on the face thumbnails to access further information about the identified person. It’s unclear whether this will change before the official release of the feature, but this simple addition could save users time when navigating through their photos.
Streamlined Navigation
The addition of face thumbnails should improve the overall navigation experience in Google Photos. Right now, face detection is used to group people into “Face Groups,” which are available through the app’s “People” section. These groups allow users to easily search for specific individuals and view memories based on those faces. The new thumbnails could speed up the process of finding photos of certain people, and potentially make it easier to organize and share photos.
Testing Phase
While the feature is not yet live, it has been uncovered in the code for version 7.26 of the Google Photos Android app, indicating that it is currently in a testing phase. As with most updates in the beta stage, the final version could differ, and Google may choose to adjust or refine how the feature works.
How It Will Be Used
The new row of face thumbnails might allow users to select specific faces for actions such as editing or finding more images of that person. However, it’s still unclear if this will be the feature’s primary use. For now, the face thumbnails simply offer a quicker way to spot and recognize people in photos, but it could evolve into something more powerful over time.
Privacy Considerations
As always, privacy is a key concern with facial recognition features. Google assures users that detected faces are visible only to the account owner and are not shared when photos are shared with others. This feature is meant to make the app more user-friendly and personal, enhancing the overall photo management experience.
Stay tuned for further updates as Google works toward refining and officially rolling out this feature in the near future.
