Latest news with #AskPhotos
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Time of India
Google Photos adds HDR editing powered by machine learning
Google has announced that it has added HDR editing to Google Photos. The addition of HDR editing tools will allow users to preserve HDR detail and metadata while making changes with the help of machine learning-based photo editing tools . 'We've made improvements to how images are edited in High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Standard Dynamic Range (SDR). Now, HDR photos can keep their full dynamic range and crucial HDR metadata even after editing with features like Photo Unblur, Magic Eraser, and Portrait Light. This means your edited photos will maintain their contrast and highlights to always look their best,' said the company. Changes coming to Google Photos - HDR editing with machine-leaning tools: With the feature the Photos taken in HDR will now maintain the full image depth and metadata even after editing. - New 'Ultra HDR' Tool: This tool will enable users to fine-tune the brightness of the image. This will also preserve the HDR quality of the image and will offer more control to the user. - Renamed tool: Google has now renamed the 'HDR' editing option as 'Tone'. The tool will help with photo adjustments. - SDR to HDR enhancement : With this users can now upgrade standard dynamic range of photo to HDR. This will enhance the brightness, depth and clarity of the image. Google Photos AI search feature Ask Photos is back Google has restarted the rollout of its AI-powered Ask Photos feature after pausing it earlier this month due to performance issues. The search tool, which lets users find images using natural language queries, now combines traditional search with AI processing to deliver faster results. The company temporarily halted Ask Photos deployment in early June when users complained about slow response times and interface problems. Google Photos Product Manager Jamie Aspinall admitted the feature wasn't meeting expectations "in terms of latency, quality and UX." AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Ammon
28-06-2025
- Ammon
Google is rolling out its AI-powered ‘Ask Photos' search again
Ammon News - After quietly pausing the rollout of Google Photos' AI-powered 'Ask Photos' search tool, Google is now expanding access once again and making some improvements to the feature. Google's Gemini AI models power Ask Photos so that you can ask complex questions to help you find photos. But earlier this month, a member of the Google Photos team said on X that the feature 'isn't where it needs to be, in terms of latency, quality and UX.' In a blog post published Thursday, Google said that it has 'heard your feedback' that the feature should 'return more photos faster for simple searches, like 'beach' or 'dogs.'' Now, 'you'll now see results right away while Gemini models continue to work in the background to find the most relevant photos or information for more complex queries,' according to Google. The company adds that the feature is now 'opening up beyond early access' and is beginning to roll out to more 'eligible users' in the US. The Verge
Android Authority
28-06-2025
- Android Authority
I hated Google Photos' AI search feature, but after the latest update, I love it
Joe Maring / Android Authority At Google I/O 2024, Google introduced the world to 'Ask Photos.' It was a new Gemini-powered search experience for Google Photos that would enable you to use natural language to easily find pictures in your library. The pitch sounded great and like a legitimately good use of AI. Unfortunately, Ask Photos' implementation fell short. I've been using Ask Photos for the last several months, and in almost every scenario, it's been significantly worse than the old search experience. Between slow loading times and a really unintuitive UI, Ask Photos has made searching for things in Google Photos horribly frustrating. Given that, you can imagine my excitement when Google started rolling out a new and improved Ask Photos this past week. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but having now used it, I think it's brilliant. The new Ask Photos search vs. the old version Joe Maring / Android Authority Old Ask Photos (left) and the new Ask Photos Previously, the Google Photos search experience was essentially split into two versions. If you used Ask Photos, you'd get a reply to your search or question with a handful of photo results in a bizarre, horizontally scrolling list. You could tap the 'View more' button below to see more results in a vertical list, or tap 'Use classic search' at the top of the page to perform the same search using Google Photos' standard search tool. The initial results in that horizontal list were often far too limited, while the 'View more' option displayed a lengthy list of additional pictures in a seemingly random order with no organization. The classic search still worked well, but there was no way to switch it as the default option over Ask Photos, making it far more complicated to access than it should have been. Old Ask Photos Old Ask Photos Old Ask Photos With this new version of Ask Photos, Google has essentially taken the old version of the feature and combined it with the classic Google Photos search to create one, much more intuitive search experience. In the old Ask Photos screenshots above, there's a Gemini-written reply and a horizontal list of about a dozen images below it. Tapping 'View more' displays additional pictures of my dog, but they're in a randomized order that I have no control over. If I want a structured list of results, I have to tap 'Use classic search,' which takes me to a separate page to view my photos that way. New Ask Photos New Ask Photos New Ask Photos The new Ask Photos, by comparison, highlights 'Best match' photos at the top of the screen, accompanied by the same Gemini reply below. You can tap to see more of those 'Best match' photos, or simply start scrolling to see a reverse chronological list of photos matching your search term — just like the classic search did. There's also a checkmark button to select all photos from a given date, as well as a dropdown arrow that displays other photos from that day. Now, instead of having two distinctly separate pages of search results, the new Ask Photos displays both Gemini AI results and classic search results on the same page. It's so much cleaner and so much more convenient. While that's the biggest and best change, there are other tweaks that I love, too. Joe Maring / Android Authority When you search for something in the new Ask Photos, it initially displays that reverse chronological list of pictures and then shows a 'Writing reply' loading bar before it spits out the best match results and the AI summary. If you don't care about those things, you can tap the stop button next to 'Writing reply' to keep the Gemini stuff out of your search results. Further, simple search queries (such as searching the name of a person or pet) don't come with an AI-written summary at all. And if you want to go a step further, you can even altogether disable Gemini from ever showing up in your searches. To do so, tap your profile icon in the top-right and then Photo settings -> Preferences -> Gemini features in Photos. Do you prefer the new or old Ask Photos? 0 votes Old NaN % New NaN % This is what Ask Photos should have always been Joe Maring / Android Authority Having now spent a day with this new version of Ask Photos, I'm seriously impressed with how well it works and equally confused as to why this isn't what Google shipped in the first place. Where the old Ask Photos felt like a bad experiment that only made searching in Google Photos worse, this improved version feels like a legitimate upgrade, not only over the old Ask Photos but over the classic search, too. I'm seriously impressed with the new Ask Photos. Now, is it perfect? I'm not sure if I would go that far. Loading times can sometimes be a bit slower than I'd like, and some of the suggested search queries (namely, the 'Write a poem about me' one) are just silly. But compared to what we had before, this is unquestionably better. Google says the new Ask Photos is 'starting to roll out to more eligible users in the U.S.', so it may still be a little bit before it's live on your phone. But I hope you get it soon, because it's taken one of the worst aspects of modern Google Photos and turned it into one of the best.
Tom's Guide
27-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Google's 'Ask Photos' AI search is back and should be better than ever — what we know
Google's "Ask Photos" feature is back, after the rollout was put on hold thanks to various quality and performance issues. Now the company has confirmed things are getting back on track, and with some much needed improvements. Google published a new blog post confirming this news, and declaring that it has "heard your feedback" about the state of Ask Photos. Now, with the rollout resuming, Google claims that it should start producing much faster search results — and better support for more complex searches. This means search results should appear immediately, while Gemini works in the background to find "the most relevant photos or information for more complex queries.' Ask Photos initially started rolling out last September as an experimental feature powered by the "most capable" Gemini AI models. The point was that it would be better able to understand what was actually going on in your pictures, and bring them to you when asked. According to Google the AI was only used for Ask Photos, which meant it should have been quite good at its job. However the quality wasn't quite there, and earlier this month Google "paused" the rollout in response to criticism about latency, quality and the overall user experience. So earlier this month the Google Photos product manager took to Twitter (yes, I know, it's called X now) to say they paused the rollout, promising a better version would be on the way in around two weeks. Now that better version is here, and hopefully it at least addresses some of the concerns people had. Google seems confident at least, and has promised that the new and improved Ask Photos will be opening up "beyond early access" and will be available for more eligible users in the U.S. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Hans India
27-06-2025
- Hans India
Google Resumes Rollout of AI-Powered 'Ask Photos' with Faster Search for Simpler Queries
Google is once again expanding access to its AI-powered Ask Photos feature in Google Photos after briefly pausing its rollout earlier this month. The company says it has enhanced the experience, particularly for simple search queries, by making the tool faster and more responsive. Ask Photos, powered by Google's advanced Gemini AI models, allows users to search for specific photos using natural language queries. Whether you're trying to locate a picture from a beach vacation or find all the snapshots of your dog, the AI can analyze image content and metadata to surface results based on your questions. However, the initial rollout faced some challenges. A team member from Google Photos recently acknowledged on X (formerly Twitter) that the feature had some performance issues. 'It isn't where it needs to be, in terms of latency, quality and UX,' they wrote, prompting the company to reassess and refine the tool before expanding it further. Responding to early user feedback, Google has now made changes aimed at speeding up basic search responses. In a blog post shared on Thursday, the company said it 'heard your feedback' about wanting quicker results for straightforward queries. The update allows Ask Photos to provide instant results for simple keywords like 'beach' or 'dogs,' with the more advanced Gemini AI continuing to refine and enhance results in the background for complex questions. 'You'll now see results right away while Gemini models continue to work in the background to find the most relevant photos or information for more complex queries,' Google explained. The change marks a step forward in how users interact with their personal photo libraries. By blending powerful AI with user-centric enhancements, Google aims to make photo searches not only more intelligent but also more intuitive and efficient. In addition to performance improvements, Google announced that Ask Photos is now 'opening up beyond early access,' meaning more users in the United States will soon be able to experience the feature. The rollout is targeted at 'eligible users,' though the company has not specified what criteria determine eligibility. A GIF shared by Google illustrates the updated feature in action—showing how it interprets a user's typed question and quickly pulls relevant images from the user's photo archive. While still evolving, this update demonstrates Google's commitment to integrating AI into everyday tools, making large libraries of personal data more accessible and manageable through conversational search. As AI continues to shape the way we organize digital memories, features like Ask Photos hint at a future where finding a single image in thousands can be as easy as asking a friend. More updates on international availability and feature refinement are expected as Google continues to gather user insights and performance metrics from the ongoing U.S. rollout.
