A year ago, many users expressed frustration with Google Photos, particularly regarding its handling of HDR photography. Whenever edits were made to HDR or Ultra HDR images using the app on Android, a copy of the image was saved instead of updating the original.
This issue arose because the app initially struggled to edit such images without losing their HDR metadata. To avoid compromising key details, Google opted to save separate copies.
With the introduction of Android 14, Google enhanced its operating system by integrating native Ultra HDR support. This update allows newer smartphones to capture images with metadata that indicates how to display photos in full high dynamic range.
However, Google Photos faced challenges in preserving this metadata while implementing edits, especially when using advanced machine learning tools like Photo Unblur and Magic Eraser. In April, Google began rolling out a new Ultra HDR slider for the editing interface in Google Photos, giving users the ability to adjust the intensity of the Ultra HDR effect.
This development not only addressed the issue of duplicate images following edits but also improved user experience. Recently, Google confirmed that the slider now works seamlessly with several popular AI tools.
According to a detailed post on their support forum, edited photos will now maintain full dynamic range and essential HDR metadata, even after using features like Photo Unblur, Magic Eraser, and Portrait Light. Additionally, Google completed the rollout of the new Ultra HDR slider and pointed out that it can transform standard dynamic range (SDR) images into HDR photos.
Notably, the older HDR slider is still available but has been renamed to “Tone” for clarity regarding its functionality.
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