GoKawiilJoe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR Google is reversing some of the changes it made to the photo editors inside the Photos app.
The changes frustrated several users due to the overwhelming degree of differences from the previous version.
Along with the re-redesign, Google is also testing a new Explore feed inspired by TikTok.
Google continuously experiments with new features and interface changes, but not all find the same appreciation or acceptance as the team of engineers and designers may have hoped for. One such change is the photo editor that Google introduced to the Photos app for Pixel users last year. Despite being implemented to celebrate the app’s tenth anniversary, the revised interface caused a lot of frustration among users, especially due to the new buttons and revamped menus that slowed the process of finding the desired option. If you’re among those pained by this transition, there may soon be some respite as Google is looking to refine these menus again, hopefully for the better.
It looks like Google is addressing some of the peeves users have had since the redesign. We’ve seen reports of Google testing a new editor interface, where some items are returning to their positions from before last year’s redesign. Additionally, Google appears to be toning down AI-powered photo editing features. Let’s explore all these changes one by one.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more.
to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search by clicking the button below.
The first change we’re seeing is the return of controls for tools such as Crop, Adjust, Filters, and more at the bottom of the editor interface. Following the redesign, these are accessible by tapping the Tools button adjacent to the Help Me Edit input box. With this change, users can access tools with one tap less. As with the interface before the redesign, you can scroll through the tools to access other options. The new interface also marks the return of the Crop menu, which was removed in the redesign last year, while its tools, clubbed under it, were spun off as individual features.
Current UI New UI New UI
... continue reading