Google Photos v3.13 adds Search Filter for Motion Photos, Auto-Sharing, Notifications for Photo Books, and More

Google Photos received a major update today, bringing it to version number v3.13. The new features include search filters for Motion Photos and new Photos Books notifications, and an APK teardown of the app reveals that Google might be readying a new dialog messages related to Photo Books and the app’s selective backup feature. Strings in the new Google Photos also hint at changes to the sharing tab.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the features one by one:

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by Google in a future build.

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Filter for Motion Photos

Motion Photos is Google’s take on the animated photos format popularized by Apple’s Live Photos. Google originally intended the feature as an exclusive for Nexus and Pixel devices, but thanks to the unofficial Google Camera HDR+ app, it’s been ported to other Qualcomm-based and some Exynos-based devices.

Previously, Google Photos didn’t have an option to filter Motion Photos in the gallery, so if you wanted to view a Motion Photo, you would have to remember the date when the photo was taken and scroll to it. Now, in v3.13, there’s a category search filter (in Search Bar > Show More > Motion Photos) that pulls up all of the Motion Photos you’ve captured. It’s not a groundbreaking feature, but it’s a nice convenience.

Here’s the string for the feature:

<string name="photos_search_explore_category_motion_photos">Motion Photos</string>

Automatic sharing management

Google Photos v3.13 adds automatic sharing management in the form of reciprocal photo sharing. If someone shares a photo with you, you can choose to “share back” the photo by tapping a new option in the app’s overflow menu. It automatically fills in the email address of the person with whom you’re sharing, making the process much simpler.

Here are the relevant strings in the APK:

<string name="photos_partneraccount_grid_actionbar_partneraccount_reciprocate_title">Share back to %1$s</string>
<string name="photos_partneraccount_grid_actionbar_partneraccount_reciprocate_title_no_name">Share back to partner</string>
<string name="photos_partneraccount_onboarding_confirm_automatic_share_learn_more">New photos will be shared automatically. &lt;a href=help:>Learn more&lt;/a></string>

New Photo Books notifications

As of right now, Photo Books —  hardcover photo albums created from your Google Photos collection —  are only available in the US and Canada. Google Photos v3.13 adds new notifications for Photo Books. One will remind you about expiring drafts you have created, and another will suggest ideas for Photo Books and alert you when you’ve received new suggestions. A third third notification, Printing promotions, will pop up with limited-time offers and discounts on Photo Books.

Here are the strings for the notifications:

<string name="photos_settings_drafts_description">Reminders about expiring drafts you have created</string>
<string name="photos_settings_drafts_title">Photo books drafts</string>
<string name="photos_settings_promos_description">Limited time offers and discounts for printed products</string>
<string name="photos_settings_promos_title">Printing promotions</string>
<string name="photos_settings_suggested_books_description">When you have received a new suggested book</string>
<string name="photos_settings_suggested_books_title">Suggested photo books</string>

Create album option

It’s a minor thing, but Google Photos now shows a Create album option in the app home screen if you’re signed in to your Google account. It’s gone live — here’s the string:

<string name="photos_albums_empty_create_album_button_text">Create album</string>

New dialog messages in the selective backup and Photo Book screens

There are hints in Google Photos v3.13 at new messages in the app’s selective backup UI. New strings contain confirmation messages indicating a successful backup. And in the Photo Book editing UI, there appear to be new dialog options intended to prevent you from losing changes you’ve made:

<string name="photos_backup_selectivebackup_view_emptyview_caption">Your photos &amp; videos are backed up. You can view them at photos.google.com.</string>
<string name="photos_backup_selectivebackup_view_emptyview_title">Backup complete</string>
<string name="photos_backup_selectivebackup_view_title">Selective Backup</string>

<string name="photos_photobook_impl_discard_button">Discard</string>
<string name="photos_photobook_impl_keep_editing_button">Keep editing</string>
<string name="photos_photobook_impl_save_layout_edits_dialog_message">Exiting will discard your recent changes</string>
<string name="photos_photobook_impl_save_layout_edits_dialog_title">Discard changes?</string>

Finally, there’s a hint at a new Tap to add recipients option in the sharing tab.

<string name="photos_sharingtab_picker_impl_tap_to_add_recipients">Tap to add recipients</string>

We will update this post if we find any more interesting features in Google Photos v3.13.

Google Photos (Free, Google Play) →

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