First look at Google Photos’ Remix feature for photo animations

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

TL;DR

Google Photos is working on a new Remix video that could generate videos from still images.
The feature includes customizable movement styles like “Subtle Movements,” “Go Wild,” and “I’m Feeling Lucky.”
Remix and Remix video features are still a work-in-progress and haven’t been announced yet.

We’ve previously spotted Google Photos working to incorporate generative AI to transform photos with the upcoming Remix feature. Last week, we also found code that suggested Remix could expand into video editing with generative AI. We’ve spotted new evidence suggesting that Remix video is for animating photos into videos, and we even have an early look to accompany it.

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An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.

Google Photos v7.35 includes new strings that make it clear what the “Bluejay video” feature is all about:

Code

Photo to video
Moving masterpieces: An Experimental creation tool
Subtle Movements.

From previous teardowns, we know that Bluejay is the working codename for the upcoming Remix feature. Bluejay video was presumed to extend Remix to videos, but the new strings clarify that it makes a video out of a photo.

We managed to activate parts of the Remix video feature to give you an early look:

When the feature goes live, Remix video will be accessible through the Plus button in the header. Users will be able to select a photo, which the UI prompts to crop into a 9:16 ratio for some reason. After this, users will be able to choose between the three movement styles: “Subtle Movements,” “Go Wild,” and “I’m Feeling Lucky.” Remix video will then attempt to generate the video out of the photo. However, the feature crashes for us at this stage, which isn’t surprising given its work-in-progress nature and the unfinished UI.

Thus, based on the new clues, Remix video could be a tool within Google Photos for adding animation effects to photos and saving the output as a video.

Google has yet to announce the Remix or Remix video feature within Google Photos. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.

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