Snapseed’s New iPhone Camera Is a Film Lover’s Dream—But Android Users Are Still Waiting

For the longest time ever, Snapseed was basically a photo editing app. It was one of the more popular options back in the day. However, it looks like Google has decided to supercharge the app, as it is launching a new camera feature for Snapseed on the iPhone.

Snapseed on iPhone gets new camera feature

Google actually soft-launched this feature back in December last year. However, according to 9to5Google, it appears to be rolling out to more users. Now, when you launch the Snapseed app on the iPhone, you can tap the camera icon at the top-right corner of the app. This means that you don’t need to take a photo using a separate app. You can now snap a photo directly in Snapseed and proceed to edit it.

We know that sometimes built-in cameras tend to be pretty basic. However, Google isn’t skimping out on the features here. You can make manual adjustments for exposure, focus, and shutter speed by tapping the “PRO” toggle. This is perfect for more advanced photographers who want greater control over how their images turn out.

But in addition to more manual controls, the app also gives users access to a bunch of film simulations. This includes several film styles from Kodak, Fujifilm, Agfa, Polaroid, and Technicolor. The app also has a skeuomorphic design, with a rewind animation when you switch films. It’s a bit funny given how Google went all modern with Material 3 expressive.

The update is currently only available for Apple devices, but presumably Google will eventually bring those changes over to Android.

Changes to photo apps

The addition of the camera feature in Snapseed seems to be part of Google’s strategy. In the past, Google Photos served as just a place for users to store their photos and videos. However, over the past few years, we’ve seen how Google has tried to make the app more than just a place for photo storage.

This includes more robust editing tools, adopting a TikTok-style feed for your videos, and even integrating AI. Now, with Gemini, Google Photos users can edit their photos using natural language prompts. This makes it easier for users who don’t know much about the editing process.