Taking pictures while on vacation is easy enough, but sharing those pictures afterward can be a huge hassle that involves uploading hundreds of images to your computer, sorting out the best shots and choosing a photo album site to host your favorite pics. To make sharing your cherished memories easier (and to attract more users), Google+ has added a new feature to its suite of auto awesome photo tools: Google+ Stories.
Google+ Stories
Google+ Stories automatically converts photos and videos from your vacations into animated photo timelines. Once your pictures are on Google+, Google+’s auto awesome feature will choose your best shots and videos and compile them into one story. As you scroll through your story, you can zoom into and out of photos by tapping on them, read photos captions and track your travel route.
Check out some examples of stories from Google+’s director of product management Anil Sabharwal, paraglider Tom de Dorlodot and DJ Steve Aoki.
Interested in seeing what stories Google+ could make for you? In order to take advantage of the feature, you’ll first have to back up your photos to Google+. If you’ve already done this, you might have stories waiting for you!
Google+ Stories will roll out this week on Android and the Web and is coming soon to iOS.
Pulling for Users
If there’s one thing Google+ has going for it over other social networks, it’s photo features. The service offers unlimited storage for photos 2048 x 2048 pixels and under; automatic photo backup; manual editing tools powered by what is possibly the best photo editing mobile app in existence, Snapseed; and auto awesome features that automatically select your best shots, combine related images into fun GIFs and more. Despite these great features, though, it’s hard to convince people to care what’s on their Google+ profile when the only thing their friends see is what’s on their Facebook profile. Social networks are only effective when they’re actually social, and so far it doesn’t seem like Google+ can compete with Facebook when it comes to gaining active users.
Do you upload your photos to Google+?
