The feature was first predicted when a teardown of the app referenced the feature last fall. During the I/O conference earlier this month, the feature was added to the desktop version with an announcement for a mobile version coming. Now with an update that began rolling out last week, the feature has finally arrived for mobile users.
The app creates photo books in seconds, Google claims, because of automatic photo curation that automatically lays out the interior of the book. The new feature is located inside the assistant tab, the area of the app responsible for tasks from auto-generating a movie to suggesting tips on using the app. The a new option to “create a photo book” is next to options for creating a digital album or collage.
Users select between 20 and 100 photos to include, and can select every photo taken on a certain date all at once, instead of tapping individually. Photos automatically load into a one-image-per-page layout based on the number of images selected. The layout appears, for now, to be limited to one photo per page, with the program adding new pages for additional images, instead of creating a collage of images on a single page. Users can customize by dragging to reorder pages, or tapping to adjust the layout.
Both hardcover and softcover photobooks are available, with a 7-inch, 20-page softcover photo book listing for $10 (additional pages for 35 cents each) and a 9-inch hardcover for $20 (additional pages 65 cents each). The photo books are made in the United States from responsibly sourced paper, Google says.
The photo books are currently only available in the U.S., and there’s no word yet on whether the feature will arrive in other areas.
The update comes after the platform began rolling out the ability to archive photos, keeping receipts and screenshots out of browsing without deleting them entirely.
