Alphabet
’s
GOOGL
division Google is consistently adding innovative features to its photo-sharing and storage-providing app, Google Photos.
Reportedly, Google updated Google Photos with a pop-up user interface (UI), which enables users to share photos and videos directly from the photo-sharing app’s library.
The updated UI shows options like Share, Add to, Delete, Order Photo, Move to Archive, Move to Locked Folder when one or multiple photos and videos are selected.
With the revamped UI, users can access more options without clicking through the image. They can send images or videos to specific contacts, add pictures or videos to an album and see its location by swiping the pop-up further upward.
On the back of this updated UI, Google focuses on providing an enhanced experience to the users of Google Photos. This is expected to boost the app’s adoption in the days ahead.
Growing Google Photos Initiatives
Apart from the recent capability, Google introduced a set of Real Tone filters in Google Photos to let users show their skin in its actual shade.
Google also introduced a feature to Google Photos for Android and iOS users. With this capability, users can delete media in albums and view date and location while browsing.
Reportedly, Google is adding a snippet feature to Google Photos to highlight the prominent portions of the uploading video content.
All these endeavors will continue to help Google drive momentum among the Android users.
This, in turn, is likely to get reflected in the performance of the Google Services segment, which will benefit Alphabet’s overall financial performance.
Google Services generated $61.5 billion revenues (90.4% of total revenues) in first-quarter 2022, up 20.1% from the prior-year quarter’s level.
Moreover, strengthening financial performance will aid GOOGL in winning investors’ confidence in the near term. Shares of GOOGL have been down 24.9% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the
Computer and Technology
sector’s decline of 31.2%.
Competitive Threat
However, Alphabet faces intense competitive pressure from other technology giants like
Microsoft
MSFT
and
Apple
AAPL
, which are witnessing solid momentum among customers on the back of their photo-sharing and storage services.
Microsoft has lost 23.6% in the year-to-date period. MSFT’s Microsoft OneDrive lets users easily store and share photos, videos, documents and more from any device.
Security-conscious users can access Microsoft OneDrive’s subfolder Vault, which provides an end-to-end encryption for important files. MSFT customers using the free OneDrive plan can store 5 files in the vault, whereas premium customers can keep unlimited files.
Apple, which has lost 20.3% in the same timeframe, offers its photo management application, Apple Photos, which is affordable, feature-rich and highly secure. Apple Photos has a Shared Albums option, which lets users share photos and videos with selective people.
Further, Apple Photos is integrated with iCloud, offering a seamless cloud storage backup and syncing solution across iOS, macOS, and iPadOS.
Thus, Microsoft and Apple’s growing efforts in enriching their photo management applications pose a threat to Alphabet’s market position.
Zacks Rank & Stock to Consider
Currently, Alphabet carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Investors interested in the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector can consider
Aspen Technology
AZPN
, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see
the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here
.
Aspen technology has returned 25.7% in the year-to-date period. The long-term earnings growth rate for AZPN is currently projected at 18.4%.
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