Switching From Google Photos to Samsung Gallery

I used to rely heavily on Google Photos for my photo management needs, but I've been gradually reducing my reliance on it after learning about self-hosting. Recently, I made a surprising switch from Google Photos to Samsung Gallery, and I'm glad I did.

Samsung Gallery takes a different approach to photo management compared to Google Photos. It doesn't try to be a cloud storage solution like Google Photos, but instead focuses on providing a 'local-first' strategy that excels in certain areas. For instance, its editing features are impressive, especially the one that turns photos into stories.

One of the things I love about Samsung Gallery is its Stories feature, which allows me to turn my photos into .mp4 files and share them with friends. It's also available offline and doesn't require a paid subscription like some advanced editing features in Google Photos do.

The search functionality in Samsung Gallery is another aspect that I appreciate, as it allows me to easily find specific shots. What's more, the app provides customization options for filters and settings that aren't available in Google Photos.

However, Samsung Gallery does have some minor issues, such as its sidebar feature that lists all albums on the left side of the screen. While this may sound convenient, I found it unnecessary after using the app for a while and even made it harder to access my photos.

Despite these minor issues, I'm happy with my switch from Google Photos to Samsung Gallery and don't see myself going back anytime soon. As long as I continue to use Galaxy as my primary phone, I'll stick with Samsung Gallery for its unique features and approach to photo management.