Google+ Photos: The best integrated photo tool of any mobile social app

Google+ is quickly gaining momentum as the next social networking powerhouse. One reason for that is the superiority of the Google+ Android app over the Facebook app. And now that Google has released a major update to the Google+ mobile version, even more users might consider flocking to the latest hip place to hang out.

The recent Google+ update super charges your photos. Now, with even more viewing and editing options, Google+ may well be the best integrated photo tool of any mobile social app. With this app, you can better manage/share the photos that you and/or your company want to highlight within your Google+ circles and communities.

Let's dig into the new Google+ mobile app and see what it has to offer.

Multi-device edits

Editing photos on-the-go is always a risky venture. Mobile offerings simply don't have the power a full-blown desktop client offers. But when you want something quick and simple, the mobile solution shines. Such is the case with Google+ Photos. In fact, the latest iteration of Google+ Photos even offers non-destructive editing across your Android devices. You can start editing a photo on your smartphone and then finish it on your tablet or desktop. And because the edits are non-destructive, you can start editing on one device and even revert to the untouched photo on your desktop or other Android device.

Possible edits include:

• Enhance
• Crop
• Rotate
• Add filter
• Add frame

The filters include:

• Warm
• Cross (lighting)
• Black and White
• Cool
• Contrast
• Retrolux
• Drama

Each of the filters allows you to adjust the settings with a single finger movement. Watch the video below for a demonstration:

Once you've completed your edits, save the photo, and it will be available to you from within your Google+ account — regardless of what device you use. You can open that photo and remove the edits, pick up where you left off, and more.

Viewing photos

The new Google+ makes it very easy for you to view photos by:

• Camera
• Folders
• Highlights

To get to the Folder view, swipe to the Camera tab and tap Folders (Figure A).

Figure A

Google+ on a Verizon-branded HTC One Max.

The best way to view your photos is from Highlights, which arranges your photos by date (Figure B).

Figure B

Google+ arranges your photos by date.

If you tap a date, it will open the entire collection of photos from that date. You can also easily share an entire dates photos by tapping the Share button associated with that date.

Google+ is making it incredibly easy to manage your (or your companies) photostream. With incredibly easy editing tools and non-destructive editing (across devices), it doesn't get much easier.

Have you migrated your social platform to Google+? If not, would the addition of tools like Google+ Photos help persuade you to do so — or is there another feature still missing? Share your thoughts with your fellow TechRepublic community in the discussion thread below.