Over the past year, one major change to Google Photos has been the addition of an AI feature powered by Gemini called 'Ask Photos,' along with a series of interface redesigns. This round of optimizations concluded recently after simplifying the bottom navigation bar.

Compared to early 2024, the current version of the Google Photos app includes three main tabs: “Photos,” “Collections,” and “Search.” Users can now experience an entirely different feel when using it.
In the 'Photos' tab, Google aims at reducing clutter by automatically stacking similar-looking photos together. There is also a choice to show or hide content from other apps. All settings are centralized in a new photo view list with three layout options: standard, day-based, and month-based.

The “Collections” page replaces the old “Photo Library,” removing carousel-style device images and instead opting for higher-level categorization methods that may require more clicks but provide users an intuitive way to find what they need. Starting this week, 'Memories' has been integrated into Collections under a new name: Moments.
In the revamped 'Search' tab, there is now a cleaner list format with some default suggestions focusing on text-based searches rather than scrolling through interfaces as before. The Gemini-powered “Ask Photos” feature is currently being tested in the US and Canada; Taiwanese users have yet to experience it but can still use traditional search methods by tapping twice on an 'Ask' tab.
Additionally, a notification bell icon has been added at the top toolbar for updates related to shared albums or conversations.

In summary, these changes make Google Photos more streamlined and user-friendly with smoother navigation experiences. (Image source: Google Blog)