Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
- Today, Google unveiled a new video editor for Google Photos.
- The new editor introduces some new tools similar to the existing tools for editing photos in the app.
- Meanwhile, the photo editing features unique to Pixel phones are now available for non-Pixel devices, although they have paid access through Google One.
Google just unpacked a new package of video editing tools in the Google Photos app. Google designed the new features to make video editing simple and intuitive. Many of the features are similar to the photo editing tools that Google unveiled last year.
The new Google Photos video editor is now rolling out to iOS devices. Google says it will hit Android devices in the coming weeks.
Related: Google Photos: a beginner’s guide
In addition to this video editor update, Google is also making Pixel’s unique photo editing tools available to a wider audience. Unfortunately, you’ll need to sign up for Google One to access these tools, as well as meet certain hardware specification requirements.
The new Google Photos video editor
If you’ve used the Google Photos photo editor, the new video editing tools will look very familiar. You can perform simple tasks like trimming and cutting. However, you can also add filters, adjust lighting and exposure and use AI-based tools to really make your videos stand out.
Check out the GIF below for some examples.
As mentioned earlier, these features are coming to the latest version of the Google Photos app now on iOS devices. Android users will see updates to the Google Photos video editor later.
Pixel exclusive photo tools with paid access for non-Pixel smartphones
Meanwhile, Google is also expanding the availability of some photo editing tools that previously only existed on Pixel phones. Portrait blur, Portrait light and Color Pop are powerful effects that can completely transform the look of your photos. You can see how Portrait Light works in the GIF below.
Unfortunately, if you don’t have a Pixel device, you won’t be able to access these features unless you sign up for Google One. You will also need a phone with at least 3 GB of RAM and Android 8 Oreo or newer. This is probably a preliminary step to getting people to pay for Google One as they prepare to deal with Google Photos storage limits later this year.
Related: Everything you need to know about Google One
Unlike the Google Photos video editing tools, these photo tools will be available in a few days to Android users with Google One subscriptions and appropriate hardware. Pixel users will continue to see features at no cost. Google did not say whether iOS users would see the tools.