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Google Photos Android app gets new AI-powered features to highlight memories, fix sideways photos

The latest update to the Google Photos app is a big one: it uses AI technology to add four new features, from resurfacing old memories to fixing sideways photos. The new features are available in the Android app, iOS app and on the web.

While your phone should recognize whether you’re holding the camera vertically or horizontally, there are times when this doesn’t work reliably. The app will now automatically detect photos which appear to be sideways and offer to fix them for you with one tap.

The three remaining new features all focus on ways to highlight memories and share moments with others …

Google says it has given a boost to the app’s facial recognition features. Now when it recognizes someone in a new photo, it will go looking for older photos of the same person and put together a highlight card.

If you take a lot of photos of the same person – like a partner or child – it will also produce ‘recent highlights’ card.

‘Hint hint: grandparents would love to see these!’ says Google.

Finally, the auto-animation photo feature has now been extended to videos. The app looks for segments containing activities, and aims to automatically create a short looped GIF for easy sharing.

Google Photos is a free download from the Play store, offering free unlimited backup of all photos and 1080p HD video (though not 4K). It follows another handy update last month which makes it easier to share photos with friends.

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