Google Photos refresh adds map view, new icon – CNET

Google Photos is getting a makeover. The search giant unveiled a redesign of Google Photos that includes a map view, a new icon and three tabs to organize your pictures.  

Google said the refreshed app will have a new Photos tab that contains all your pictures and videos. With the update, your photos will appear larger and have less white space between them. Videos in your tab will also autoplay when you pass them. 

At the top of the Photos tab, you’ll now see Memories, a private archive of your old photos. Memories will have a new section called Recent Highlights, a place to see Google-made collages and animations of your best recently taken photos. This feature previously appeared in a For You tab but has disappeared with the redesign, said Google.

To the right of Photos is the Search tab. The refreshed Search tab now includes a map view of your pictures. You can interact with the map by pinching and swiping to explore where you’ve taken pictures. To use the map view feature, you need to enable locations on your device’s camera or manually add them to photos. 

The final tab is called Library, a place to see your albums, favorites, trash and archived pictures. Users in the US, EU and Canada can also see Google’s Print Store, where you can purchase prints of your pictures. 

The Google Photos makeover also includes a refreshed icon. The app’s multicolored pinwheel will be simplified to include only four colors, and the ridge pinwheel spokes will become more curved.

Google said the redesign will be rolling out over the next week.