A recent APK teardown of Google Photos suggests the app might be evolving beyond its current photo storage and organization functionalities. Evidence points towards Google potentially adding social networking features, transforming Google Photos into a more Instagram-like platform.
The discovery, made by Android Authority through an APK teardown, hints at Google's plans to introduce a new notification feed within the Google Photos app. This feed, coupled with a storage management tweak, suggests a potential shift towards a more social focus for the application.
The teardown of version 6.85.0.637477501 of the Google Photos app for Android revealed these features.
The current sharing icon next to your profile picture in Google Photos might be replaced with a notification icon. Tapping this new icon could unveil a "Sharing Activity" interface, essentially a social notification feed. This feed would showcase likes and comments received on your albums, along with notifications when someone adds photos to albums you've shared with them.
Interestingly, this notification system for additions to shared albums is a feature currently absent on Instagram. However, Instagram does notify users when someone likes or comments on their photos.
Code snippets within the APK teardown further suggest that this new page might also notify users when they've been added to a shared album, including the name of the person who added them. The existing "Shared links" page will likely remain accessible through the ellipsis menu in the top-right corner, offering a way to manage shared albums directly.
This potential shift in focus indicates Google's interest in bolstering the social aspects of Google Photos in future versions. While unlikely to directly compete with the robust features of Instagram today, Google Photos seems to be aligning itself with the simpler photo-sharing experience that characterized Instagram's early days – a feature some users still crave.
Beyond the notification feed, Google Photos might also introduce a new storage management tool. This tool, envisioned as a meter, would appear when tapping on specific categories within the "review and delete" section for managing storage. The meter would display the amount of storage space you could reclaim by following the suggested actions within that category.
The unearthed details from the Google Photos APK teardown paint a fascinating picture of the app's potential future trajectory. The introduction of a social notification feed, coupled with a renewed focus on user interaction, suggests Google might be aiming to transform Google Photos into a more social platform.
While Google Photos wouldn't necessarily be a direct competitor to the vast feature set of Instagram in its current form, it could potentially cater to users yearning for a simpler photo-sharing experience reminiscent of Instagram's early days. The addition of a notification system for shared albums, a feature absent on Instagram, further highlights Google's focus on fostering social interaction within Google Photos.
The potential addition of a storage management tool also demonstrates Google's commitment to user experience. This tool empowers users to reclaim storage space more effectively, addressing a common pain point for many photo enthusiasts.
Only time will tell if Google officially implements these features and how users will respond. However, the evidence from the APK teardown suggests an exciting evolution for Google Photos, potentially offering users a more social and user-friendly platform for storing, sharing, and enjoying their cherished memories.
In addition to the social notification feed, Google Photos could introduce a new meter to help users regain lost storage space. This meter will appear when users tap a category like "screenshots" or "blurry photos" in the "review and delete" section of the manage storage page. It will show how much storage can be freed up by taking all suggested actions under "review and delete."