Reception[edit]
At the May 2015 release of Google Photos, reviewers wrote that the service was among the best of its kind.[1][2][8] Walt Mossberg of Re/code declared the service the best in cloud photo storage over its competition from Amazon (Amazon Cloud Drive), Apple (iCloud), Dropbox, and Microsoft (OneDrive).[2] The Verge wrote that the release made Google a major competitor in the photo storage market,[1] and that its pricing structure obsoleted the idea of paying for photo storage.[3] CNET said the service's phone and tablet apps were particularly good. The website added that Google Photos had a more streamlined design than Yahoo's Flickr and more organizing features than Apple's iCloud photo service.[8]
Reviewers praised the service's search functions.[1][2] The Verge noted the service's speed and intelligence, especially in its ability to sort unorganized photos, as well as its photo loading times, search speeds, and simple photo editing tools.[3] The website also compared the service's new image analysis to technology unveiled by Flickr earlier in the same month.[1] Mossberg (Re/code) thought the face grouping feature was "remarkably accurate", but was most impressed by the subject-based grouping.[2] He was surprised that a search for "boats" found both Cape Cod fishing boats and Venetian gondolas, but also noted errors such as a professional photograph registering as a screenshot.[2]
PC Magazine's John C. Dvorak was concerned about the service's privacy. He was particularly concerned about Google's motivation for building the service, the company's relationships with existing governments, and potential laws that would require Google to provide a user's entire history of photos upon request. Dvorak compared such a scenario to inviting others to "scrounge through your underwear drawer".[9] He criticized the service's sync functions, and preferred folders of images over an unsorted "flat database".[9] Dvorak also highlighted the service's poor choice of photos to animate and lack of longevity guarantees, considering the company's abrupt cancellation of Google Reader. He ultimately suggested that users instead use a portable hard drive, which he considered safer and less expensive.[9]
The Verge described the service's May 2015 release as evidence that Google is spinning out the best features of their Google+ social network. They considered Photos a standout feature of the social network.[1] Walt Mossberg of Re/code described the release as "liberation day" for the photos features that were "effectively hidden" in the "widely ignored social network".[2] The service's strategy, The Verge said, was to put all data on Google's services so that it can be accessed universally.[3