Google+ Update Warns Users Built In Photos App Is Going Away

[Jonny Kansas]

Just tried. If you tell it to make an album, it does so, but puts it under the Collections section. The individual pictures still show in the default timeline view.

 

[IIGood]

Why not simply create separate folders or albums to organize your photos? It only takes a second to do within the gallery on your device.

Depends on the device. I can't create additional folders/albums through the Gallery provided on my Moto X. I'm subject to just what comes preconfigured on the phone.

 

[gadgetrants]

It's an interesting problem. I'm typically an albums kinda guy, at least for specific sets of photos (like my dog) that I want to find quickly and keep organized exactly the way I want. But @Jonny Kansas is right...the search function is so mind-blowingly good that it's not really needed on the Photo app. FWIW if you select one or a few photos, one of the options is to add to/create an album. That part is easy. What's a small PITA is FINDING your albums (their under Collections, naturally!) once you create them!

EDIT: hey, that's interesting -- unless I'm mistaken, it looks like they removed that ugly beast of a feature where it would automatically create an "album" for every photo you attached in a Hangout. *phew* that's a relief. Maybe those go to "Shared Links" now?

-Matt

 

[gadgetrants]

Depends on the device. I can't create additional folders/albums through the Gallery provided on my Moto X. I'm subject to just what comes preconfigured on the phone.

Wow, I couldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. Very strange Moto X gallery app -- in fact what look like "albums" seem to really be device folders (at least that's how they're showing up on my wife's phone). The workaround seems to be to create whatever folders/albums you want in a file manager, but then that defeats the whole point of using a gallery app to keep your photos organized. Anyway, I'm assuming the version of the Android Gallery running on the Moto X (and maybe elsewhere) is pretty much divorced from the Android Photos app (they used to be integrated long ago). I think I'd stick with Photos if that were the case, since it not only has albums (OK yeah, they're more like virtual albums since all photos stay in the default set) but also a variety of nice tools under Collections for creating Zoe-type things.

-Matt

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Not to mention auto backup & Drive integration.

 

[IIGood]

Wow, I couldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. Very strange Moto X gallery app -- in fact what look like "albums" seem to really be device folders (at least that's how they're showing up on my wife's phone). The workaround seems to be to create whatever folders/albums you want in a file manager, but then that defeats the whole point of using a gallery app to keep your photos organized. Anyway, I'm assuming the version of the Android Gallery running on the Moto X (and maybe elsewhere) is pretty much divorced from the Android Photos app (they used to be integrated long ago). I think I'd stick with Photos if that were the case, since it not only has albums (OK yeah, they're more like virtual albums since all photos stay in the default set) but also a variety of nice tools under Collections for creating Zoe-type things.

Yeah, the only additional folders/albums that get created are either by other apps or when downloading pictures from other sources (web, emails, etc). I have 3 folders right now in my device Gallery...the Camera Roll, Downloads, and one from OpenSignal (not sure why *that* would create a folder, but whatever).

A bit disappointed that Motorola's gallery does not have this option or at least tie in directly with your Google account. I did like that on the Galaxy Nexus I previously had...it's gallery was basically integrated with your Google account. AND folders could be created on the device.

At least I've got the Photos app to serve as kind of a workaround.

Mind you, this is also a first generation X. I don't know if the second gen is this way. If it is, hopefully they'll change that for the 3rd gen.