As avid phone users, we’re always waiting for the next best thing to come out. Whether it’s a better camera, faster processor, or more advanced extra features – we want it all. When Apple came out with their live photos features, many Android users groaned with jealousy over the fact that they weren’t being offered something similar. However, Google recently surprised Android users by bringing out one of the last iOS features for Android: Motion Stills. As you can probably gleam by reading above, Motion Stills is directly inspired by Cupertino’s own ‘live photos’ feature. For those of you who need a crash course in what live photos are, they basically amount to short, 3-second clips that loop much like an Animated GIF does. The benefit of live photos is obvious — instead of capturing that exact moment, you’re able to capture what happened before the shot was taken.

Now, one year later, Motion Stills are now available on Android. But there’s a catch, it’s only available for the approximately 65% of Android devices which are running on Android 5.1 or higher.

In comparison to Apple, the design of the live photo app is different on Android. Apple uses existing video footage to create a Motion Stills, however, with Android, Motion Stills are created by making a video in the app. This creates an image similar to Boomerang or Hyperlapse. It essentially loops the sequence over and over again which you see immediately after recording – you don’t have to wait in order to share your GIF either. Let’s look a little closer at what Google\s Motion Stills has to offer Android users.

 Are There Other Features Included in Google's Motion Stills?

The great part about Google’s Motion Stillss is that it includes other features as well. Fast Forward is another feature which is designed via a stabilization algorithm that captures a clip and creates a time-lapse. This may sound complex and from a programming standpoint, it is. However, from a user perspective, essentially, the Fast Forward feature allows you to speed up a clip. You’re able to adjust the speed from 1x to 8x depending on the effect you’re looking for. After you customize the clip, you’re able to output it as a GIF in one of the three sizes.

In addition, in Motion Stills by Google, you’ll also be able to add fun Motion text and emojis to each GIF you make. This is another great feature which adds individuality and flair to your own personal GIFs.

If you’re making GIFs to share with your friends, you’ll be happy to know that with Motion Stills, you can easily share your live photos with anyone. You can export multiple clips all at once as well for quick and easy sharing.

Lastly, Motion Stills newest feature is the video collage. If you have multiple photos that you’d like to put together, you’ll be able to do so with ease. In addition, you’ll have a choice from twenty different collage layouts to choose from – so, in terms of customization, you really have many options to make your GIF as authentic as you want.

Is There a Downside?

When it comes to the app itself, there’s no real downside to installing and using Motion Stills. Those who use it are fans of the app as it works just as well, if not better than Apple’s version. The only real downside is that it’s only available to 65% of Android phones. Meaning, there are a couple million people that are unable to take hold of this great app. However, this is a huge technological advancement, so, we can only guess what the next big achievement will be.

Now that you know about the new Motion Stills by Google, it’s about time you downloaded it to your Android. Remember, it’ll only be usable on phones which are operating on Android 5.1 or higher. If you’re interested in downloading it, go to your Google Play account and search by Motion Stills. Simply tap on the app icon to download and once completed, open it on your home screen. From there, you’ll be able to take as many live photos as you want.