XDA Developers has got the latest version of Google Photos code that clearly shows that the app is heading in that direction.
However, as it starts to increase in popularity, Google is trying to monetize the app, and reports show that some editing features may not be free in the future.
These are not hidden lines of code, as Google is currently testing this approach with some people. Below are some screenshots shared by Mishaal Rehman on XDA.
Shortly after writing this article, a reader informed me that the Google Photos color pop feature was locked behind the Google One paywall.
I contacted Google for confirmation, but haven’t received a reply yet.
Google Photos has always been an extremely handy gallery app that not only lets you back-up all your photos for free but also gives you plenty of editing and other features to choose from.
However, Google has told The Verge that the company is not going to lock some editing tools behind a paywall but is only offering a new version that can be used on more photos than before. This is what the software maker said:
In Google Photos, color pop is a feature that continues to be available for anyone to use, at no cost, for photos with depth information (such as portrait mode). As a part of an ongoing roll out that began earlier this year, Google One members can apply the feature to even more photos of people, including those without depth information.
For other Google Photos editing features, the company refused to comment that it had “nothing to share.”