Google Photos gets chat function

Google Photos is getting a chat function that can be activated when sharing photos with others. When users share a photo with one or more contacts, a conversation opens. The feature comes out this week.

Users are given the choice to add photos and videos they share to an ongoing conversation. That is a private conversation between users. Chat participants can save and comment on the shared photos.

According to Google, the chat function is not intended to replace existing chat apps, but to make sharing photos from Google Photos easier. It is already possible to share photos with others and it will remain so, but now with the addition of an optional chat window.

Google says the feature will be coming to all users sometime this week. The chat function works in the Android and iOS apps and the web version of Google Photos. A year ago, a chat function was also added to Google Maps. This function is intended to get in touch with companies.