Many Android and even some iOS users like to use the free editing tools available on the Google Photos app. But strings of code found by XDA in version 5.18 of Google Photos indicate that there are plans underway to place some editing features behind a paywall. The strings include sentences such as “Get extra editing features with a Google One membership” and “Unlock this feature and more with a Google One membership.” As the accompanying screenshot can attest to, Google is planning to make the Photos editing features available as part of a Google One cloud storage monthly subscription.
While it isn’t clear exactly which features will be placed behind the paywall, some of the hidden code mentions filters named “Dynamic, HDR, Vivid, Afterglow, Airy, Ember, Luminous, Radiant, and Stormy.” One popular filter that is apparently headed to a spot behind the paywall is ColorPop. This filter removes all color from a photo except for one selected by the user.
Google has been adding features to Google One. Last month the company launched a monthly subscription plan that sends subscribers 10 high-quality photo prints from their phone for $6.99 per month. Google One also offers a free Virtual Private Network (VPN) to subscribers.
