Definition: Google Photos

A photo and video sharing and storage service from Google that was spun out of the Google+ social network in 2015. Also available under a Google One storage subscription, Google Photos superseded Google's Picasa service. Images and videos are backed up to the Google cloud and synchronized to the user's browser and Android and iOS mobile devices. A limited amount of storage is free with paid services for 100GB and 1TB. See Google One.

Whenever users shoot photos on their Android phones or connect a memory card or camera to a Chromebook, images can be automatically uploaded to the cloud. They can be organized into new or different folders and automatically grouped into stories that allow narration by the user. Five or more photos taken one after the other can be viewed as an animated sequence.

Identify by Content
Photos can identify images by content. For example, one can search by a proper name, by common names such as beach, car or dog, or by choosing a thumbnail from a selection that is offered. Photos can also group images by face, and images can be edited and shared. See photo sharing site, Picasa and Google+.

People Summary

Google Photos presents the users with a summary of the people who are in their pictures, and clicking a face displays all photos with that person in it. Even faces of manikins or characters in a painting are identified.