Google Photos Will Support Third-Party Digital Photo Frames

Makers of digital photo frames have long used the Google Photos APIs to transfer your images and videos to their devices. Google this month is implementing API changes that break those integrations, but is offering an alternate approach.

As noted by The Verge, Aura and Cozyla are losing their access to Google Photos this month. In the case of Aura, their companion app previously allowed users to browse the Google Photos library and select images to be transferred. Additionally, an “auto-add” capability could take new photos added to pre-selected Google Photos albums and send them to the digital frame.

Because of the changes, which Google announced in September, Aura owners have to manually download pictures from Google Photos and upload them through their mobile/web app.

In a statement today, Google reiterates that the API changes are intended to “improve user privacy.” However, Google has “APIs specifically designed for digital photo frames and a program to help our partners update their products.”

“We’re always looking for ways to update our APIs to improve user privacy, and we have APIs specifically designed for digital photo frames and a program to help our partners update their products.”
—Google spokesperson

It’s unclear what the end user-facing experience looks like, but a hint might be how Google last month said Google Photos ambient slideshows are coming to more tablets, smart TVs, photo frames, and even fridges.

The new experience for photo frame makers might be similar to the slideshow experience available for Nest Hubs, Google/Android TV, Chromecast, and the Pixel Tablet that can be managed directly inside the Google Photos app (Settings > Apps & devices > Photo frames).

It’s unclear whether those updates will be done by the time the Google Photos API changes take place.