Google Photos Gets a Makeover: Collections Is a New Feature

Google Photos is undergoing a significant redesign, replacing the familiar Library tab with a new feature called Collections. This change is intended to streamline photo management and make it easier for users to find their desired content.

The Collections tab serves as a central hub for all your albums, including private and shared ones. Google has also introduced new folders for people, pets, documents, and places to further categorize your photos. This overhaul is believed to be part of Google’s broader strategy to integrate AI features into its photo management service, with the upcoming Gemini-powered Ask Photos assistant being a key component.

While the core functionality remains largely the same, the organization and layout of the Google Photos app have undergone a noticeable transformation. Users can now access their favorite photos and frequently visited sections more quickly through a redesigned interface. However, the removal of the Utilities folder has led to some changes in the location of certain tools. For instance, creating a Locked Folder now requires scrolling to the bottom of the Collections tab.

The Collections tab is currently being rolled out to both Android and iOS users, but it may take a few weeks to reach all devices. While the initial reaction to the redesign has been mixed, many users are hopeful that the new layout will improve their overall photo management experience.

As Google continues to integrate AI into its products, it will be interesting to see how the Collections tab evolves and how it interacts with the upcoming Ask Photos assistant.