Google Photos Isn't Just a Backup Service: It's a System-Wide Photo Library
A seasoned tech writer and reviewer of Android devices discovered that Google Photos offers more than just a photo backup service. After moving his massive photo library to Immich, he found that leaving Google Photos behind made it harder to use his photos.
The writer had been using Google Photos for years, backing up decades of memories to its servers. However, with his growing library, he wanted more control over his photos and videos. He installed Immich, a Google Photos alternative, and transferred all his photos, planning to self-host them on his NAS.
Initially, the switch seemed seamless, but the writer soon realized that Immich couldn't surface his photos in Android's Photo Picker or other apps like Gemini and Messages. This made accessing older photos cumbersome, forcing him to download each image from Immich and then upload it again.
The writer discovered that Google Photos is deeply integrated with Android, offering a system-wide photo library that makes it easy to access and share photos. He missed the convenience of being able to search his entire library using people's faces or browse existing albums without leaving the app.