Even if we probably use Google Photos a lot, we haven’t seen a substantial update for it the past few years, at least in terms of its user interface. But now it looks like they’re ready to introduce a redesigned app to users. Some will appreciate its more streamlined design although one thing we’ll be missing is the ubiquitous search bar at the top. If the leaked photos of how the UI will look like are true, then we’ll be able to have a better looking and more intuitive UI for one of the most popular cloud photo saving apps.
The first thing you’ll notice once you’ve updated your Google Photos to the latest version is that the search bar at the top and the hamburger menu are no more. Instead, you get a Google Photos header and your profile picture / account picker. Just below that you’ll get your Memories section and then the most recent images below. The bottom bar of the app has also now been updated and that is where you’ll see most of the functionalities and features of the app.
Android Police shares some of the changes you’ll see. The bottom bar will now feature the following tabs: Photos, Search, For You, Sharing, and Library. When you tap Search, you’ll see the usual suggestions but in a more aesthetically pleasing manner. The People & Pet previews are bigger while the places and things suggestions now have photos. You also get specific search categories like screenshots, selfies, videos, etc.
The Library section is where your old album tab lives and it’s where you’ll also find what was in the hamburger menu, like device folders, archive, trash, and some other utilities like “free up space” and “manage your library”. What we still can’t see is where the photo book store has been placed. The new account picker is also something that they recently introduced but the photo book store is not there yet.
This new interface seems to be a server-side update so there’s no APK yet that you can download to update your app. You’ll have to wait until the update rolls out to your account.
