Google has started showing videos and photos stored in Google+ Photos in Google Drive. This will now enable users to manage them via a new Google Photos tab or stored in folders alongside other kinds of files easily.
The announcement, which was made by Google on Monday, is the company’s first step in its bid to repurpose Google+. The company also said your content will be available as “immediately” if it’s new, while your whole library should show up “in a few weeks.” Also included in today’s update is a new Photos menu in Google Drive on Android, iOS, and the web, which allows you to manage your photos and videos alongside all other files owned by you.
“You’ll start seeing your photos in Drive today—immediately if they’re new, and a few weeks for your entire library…”
Mobile photographers will find this very interesting as Google’s announcement clearly indicates that the company is moving its Google+ social network into its key components with the inclusion of Videos and Photos in Drive.
Google however, said Google+ Photos isn’t going away, and will still let you store, edit, and share your pictures. However, if you want a way to stop using Google+ without losing all your photos and videos, Google Drive now allows you to organize all your files in a single place.
“We take all kinds of photos, from pics of friends and family to snapshots of a scenic view. We also use photos for more practical purposes, like planning a wedding, remodeling a kitchen, or capturing meeting notes from a whiteboard. But while you may snap all sorts of images, your experience across Google should be seamless and consistent. That’s why starting today, the photos and videos you keep in Google+ Photos will also be available in Google Drive,” Google said.
As expected, videos and photos that can be seen in both Google+ and Google Drive only count once towards storage limit. If you choose to delete videos or photos from Google Drive or Google, they will automatically be deleted from other service.
Google’s decision to put the Photos menu in Drive and also populating it with Google+ images and videos is means you won’t have to change your practices to benefit from the new change.
The new features are already available on Android, iOS and the web. You can visit the Help Center to find out more about the new feature.
