Google Photos Will Use Machine Learning to Animate Your Still Shots

Google Photos is getting a new AI-driven feature that can take two similar pictures in your iPhone's camera roll and turn them into a single moving shot, reports The Verge.

google photos
Google says the feature achieves this by using machine learning to generate additional frames between the two images, which creates the appearance of movement.

If you've taken several shots in succession, for example, Google ‌Photos‌ can now bring the scene to life by turning it into a moving picture. Think of the result as a sort of synthesized version of a Live Photo.

goog photos cinematic moments

The new feature is called "Cinematic Moments," and is not to be confused with Google's existing Cinematic Photos, which use machine learning to add an animated depth effect to pictures.

The Cinematic Moments option is expected to make its way to both Android and iOS versions of the Google ‌Photos‌ app soon. Google ‌Photos‌ is a free download for ‌iPhone‌ and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Popular Stories

hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

Zab the Fab Avatar
59 months ago

I don’t know why this is creepier than Live Photo’s. It’s a nice little effect. If Apple does something like this it’s called magical.
You don't know the difference between you recording reality and google AI creating a false reality with your photos?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
idmean Avatar
59 months ago
Only Google can come with something that creepy
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stephen.R Avatar
59 months ago

don’t know why this is creepier than Live Photo’s.
Live Photos is literally a recording of a few seconds before and after the actual still photo. This is an advertising company analysing all your photos and determining the content of them.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gagarin04 Avatar
59 months ago
An algorithm smiling through the faces of children.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Moi Ici Avatar
59 months ago
Google will not be getting near my photos or my anything...
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
123 Avatar
59 months ago

Instead of screaming "CREEPY!", I highly advise any of you to read the book "An Introduction to Statistical Learning: With Applications in R"
Huh? This is creepy not because:
- machine learning isn't cool.
- the result is not natural as others have said.

Both are completely missing the point. This is creepy because Google fabricates new realistically looking moving pictures with you in them. Doesn't matter if it's ML. It only matters where it will stop. Next thing: based on 10 pictures in your camera roll they will create movies of you in a surrounding of your choice. And after that activities of your choice, and so on. Completely faking reality. That's the creepy part.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)