One of the top five worst online experiences is trying to find a new software to use. When your internet ecosystem of choice doesn’t have an app you require, it can be challenging to find a fill-in, especially while trying to stick to a deadline. Typically, new apps require new accounts, new passwords, and often, a new subscription. The last thing I need in my life is to sign up for a brand-new service, which is why I find it pretty sweet when a known company announces a new app. Case in point: Google.
On May 19, Google hosted the annual Google I/O, a developer conference to share software, tech, and other announcements. At this year’s event, Google introduced a brand-new app: Google Pics (as well as a bunch of other updates). Available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the summer, this image design tool has been created to make image generation and editing simple.
The Google Pics app is to help users generate and edit images with precision. Whether you’re editing photos for a client or just seeing what a new hairstyle might look like on you, this is one app that’s here to assist.
Here’s what to know about Google Pics, along with some other noteworthy Google updates.
New Google Pic features
Google Pics is planned to be integrated within the Google Workspace apps for easy access. The tool will be accessible through Google apps such as Slides and Drive. This way, you won’t have to hunt down the app you’re looking for.
One of Google Pics’s new flashy features is the ability to generate images using AI, with an innovative perk: Rather than taking a gamble on how well an image will turn out, users will be able to change specific areas of an image instead of regenerating the full thing. For example, if a user generates an image of a city skyline but wants to change the color of the sky, the user can change the sky instead of asking AI to regenerate the entire image.
Google Pics will also be offering object segmentation. Instead of messing with an entire image, users will have their images segmented by element, and can edit one element at a time: Sizing, positioning, replacing, or recoloring can be done without affecting the rest of the image (which is ideal for those photo dumps!). Google Pics also includes the ability to translate and edit text that can be found in an image — this can be done while still keeping the image’s original font.
Additional Google features
Beyond the announcement of Google Pics, Google I/O announced a handful of features for its apps, coming out within the upcoming months.
For those who love Gemini, get excited for Gemini Spark, which will do all and more that Gemini does. In order to help you get your work done faster, rather than just answering questions and prompts, Gemini Spark can assist with tasks such as adding events to your calendar and sending emails.
Gmail’s AI inbox is also getting an update; AI Inbox is now able to generate draft replies on top of reminding the user to respond to an email. Plus, if a task requires an additional document (such as a Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide) instead of searching for the link, AI Inbox is able to add the needed link next to your to-do section.
Google is also expanding voice capabilities in Gmail, Docs, and Keep. In Gmail, you’re able to ask questions to Gmail Live, such as asking when a specific project is due, allowing it to search through your emails to give you the answer. With Docs Live, all you need to do is talk! Share your ideas and brainstorm, and Docs Live will format and structure your document for you. Additionally, Keep is the software to help you jot down those quick thoughts, turning your words into organized lists and notes.
More information about Google’s new updates can be found on the Google I/O website.