Google Photos update wants you to get creative - but there’s a catch
Make movie memories with Google’s new video editor
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Video editing is coming toGoogle Photossoon, allowing users to live out their film-making dreams - however, there may be some limitations.
Users will soon be able to create and edit movies in just a couple of taps, as revealed in a lengthyGoogleblog postoutlining the new movie-making features - and a raft of other recently released apps and tools.
But there’s a catch. Right now, thevideo editing softwareis planned to be “available first onChromebook”. And there’s no hint when - or even if - the feature will roll out to allGoogle Photosusers.
How does Google Photos video editing work?
The new offering appears to provide two options: automatic video creation or building your own project from scratch. The former lets users choose a theme and the subjects, letting the app whip up a montage of videos and photos, including what Google calls “the most meaningful moments” from longer clips. Users who prefer starting with a blank canvas will be free to simply search thephoto cloud storageapp, then add and reorder their own media.
Whichever route users take, they can then further trim clips, add titles, music, and narration, adjust brightness and contrast, or apply the recently released Real Tone skin filters.
If the ChromeOS version is anything like the Google Photos video editor app on mobile, which launched last year, expect to see a movie editor that’s more in line with the simple, consumer-levelMicrosoft Video Editorwhen the feature rolls out.
“For professional-grade video editing, the LumaFusion app is also coming to Chromebooks. LumaFusion’s multitrack video editor lets you add graphics,visual effects, transitions and distortions, audio tracks andsound effects, narration, color grading and more,” said Google.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Adobe Lightroom now lets you edit your videos>You can finally get unlimited Google Photos storage but there’s a catch>We tested the best alternatives to Adobe Premiere Pro
WhenTechRadarsat down with LumaFusion co-founders, Terry Morgan and Chris Demiris to discuss what is - in our view - thebest video-editing app in iPad, they revealed to us:
“Developing for Android is definitely a challenge, one that requires an entirely separate development team. It’s basically rebuilding LumaFusion from scratch, but on a completely different OS, with different strengths and limitations.”
Video editing isn’t the only update planned. Thephoto storage and sharing sitealso unveiled new features for pre-installed Chromebook apps.
For creatives and content creators, chief among these are the forthcomingPDF editortool for the Gallery app and opening up the newly launchedfree screen recorderapp Screencast.
Steve is TechRadar Pro’s B2B Editor for Creative & Hardware. He began in tech journalism reviewing photo editors and video editing software at the magazine Web User, where he also covered technology news, features, and how-to guides. Today, he and his team of reviewers test out a range of creative software, hardware, and office furniture. Once upon a time, he wrote TV commercials and movie trailers. Relentless champion of the Oxford comma.
Best secure file transfer solution of 2024
Best lightweight Linux distro of 2024
Latest Google Pixel update includes surprise launch of Android 15’s best battery feature
