If recent reports are to be believed, Google will soon be offering users a new photo-hosting service.
Earlier this year, Google announced that it was separating the Hangouts and Photos feature from the Google+ social network, which hasn't developed much of an audience. However, we haven't heard too much about what the new Photos feature would look like, or how Google would use it.
But a new report from Bloomberg Business gives us a timeline for when Google will unveil its new photo tool. Google staffers involved with the product told Bloomberg that the company would unveil the new service during Google's I/O developer's conference, which happens later this month.
Why on earth does Google want to create their own photo service? After all, so many other companies are already doing the same thing.
Bloomberg believes that this is Google's way of trying to poach some of Facebook's users. "Google has been seeking new ways to bolster its product lineup as it battles Facebook and other rivals for users. Greater autonomy would give Google's photo tool more freedom to take on rivals."
In other words, Google's tool would allow users to host a photo in one location, then share it across a variety of social networks.
Google once operated Picasa, which was like an online version of Apple's iPhoto serivce and a writer from The Next Web notes that "Google+ has great photo features, but they're tied to a social network, which lessens their appeal."
So, if Google can make those features easier to use as well as make up for some of the flaws in Flickr and Facebook's photo hosting tools, then it just might change the way we host internet photos forever.
Google's I/O conference begins on May 28, and will continue through May 29.
