Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. News

Google Photos could soon give you greater control over Gemini when animating photos

Google is set to offer you more control over on of its clever AI image editing tools

Add as a preferred source on Google
Someone holding a Pixel 9 Pro, running the Google Photos app.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

What’s happened? The Google Photos AI-enabled photo-to-video feature is getting an upgrade that’ll give you more control. This feature, which was launched back in July, uses the Google Veo 2 video-generator software to create a six-second video of a picture.

  • This feature update was spotted during an APK teardown by Android Authority, who claim it will give users control over the animation feature using a prompt box.

Why is this important? When the Google Photos photo-to-video tool was introduced, it provided users with two editing options. The first, which Google calls “Subtle movements,” adds subtle movements to still pictures. The second, “I’m feeling lucky,” takes things further by generating random-style videos from the still picture.

  • Currently, selecting either option means you’re completely at the mercy of Gemini AI, with no control over what movements it produces.
  • If Google does add a third option in the form of a prompt box, it will allow users to write a prompt on how they want the generated video to look.
Recommended Videos

Why should I care? There are a number of AI features baked into the Google Photos app, and they are periodically improved and updated, to help with image editing, slide curation, and more.

  • If this new feature does get launched, you’ll be able to guide Gemini on exactly how you want the short video clip to look.
  • This should result in videos which you’ll find more useful (or entertaining).

Okay, what’s next? While this update is not yet available, the APK teardown suggests there’s a very good chance it will make it to a public release.

  • There’s no official information on when this feature will make its debut in the Google Photos app.
  • However, this feature might only be available on select devices once the update rolls out.
  • For now, Google’s Photo-to-Video feature is only available to users in the US.
Collins Eshiet
Former News Writer
Collins is a technology writer who's also fascinated about cars and space. Over the last five years, he has had the…
iPhone Fold: Everything we know about Apple’s Ultra foldable
The most expensive iPhone Apple has ever made, and it still might not have everything you'd expect.
iPhone Fold CAD-based AI visualization.

Apple takes its sweet time in adopting a new trend or technology, but when it does, it comes up with one of the best implementations ever. That’s exactly what everyone is expecting from the company’s first foldable. Call it the iPhone Fold or the iPhone Ultra, the Cupertino giant has more riding on this launch than perhaps any product launched in the last few years, and it could break cover later this year.

The rumors have been building for months, but at this point, we have a clearer picture than ever, both of the engineering advancements Apple is pushing hard for, and the trade-offs it may have to accept along the way. We're a couple of months away from the iPhone Fold's launch, and here's everything you need to know about it.

Read more
Red Magic’s newest gaming phone with a giant battery and liquid cooling goes global
The Red Magic 11S Pro is designed for longer gaming sessions
Red Magic 11S Pro Transparent back

The Red Magic 11S Pro gaming smartphone, which recently launched in China, is now headed to global markets with a giant battery, wild cooling hardware, and a display without a hole for the front camera. Open sales begin June 10 through Red Magic’s official website and selected retail partners.

Cooling is still the main attraction

Read more
Spotify now lets you clip and share your favorite podcast moments on social media
Podcast Clips is rolling out globally on Spotify for both Free and Premium mobile users.
spotify-ai-remix-cover-songs

Spotify has launched Podcast Clips, a new feature that lets you capture, trim, save, and share specific moments from any supported podcast directly inside the app. It is rolling out globally today to both Free and Premium users on mobile.

How to share Spotify Podcast Clips?

Read more