Google has done a lot to make the Pixel 8a stand out from other bargain phones on the market. In the several days I’ve been using it, I’ve found myself quite enjoying the smaller form factor and the various features the Pixel 8a offers, including one handy Snapshot feature that I hope Apple steals for a future iOS update.
The Snapshot feature is exactly what it sounds like. It allows you to quickly take a snapshot of a memory or something going on in the moment and then display it directly on your home screen. The photo itself is saved to your camera roll, but it remains on the home screen, complete with a cute little Polaroid frame and the date underneath it.
The Pixel 8a is the first of Google’s latest phones to offer Snapshot, and I really hope Apple creates its own version for the iPhone. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR
It’s a cute little way to showcase some of your more candid shots, though there isn’t any way to add in photos you’ve already taken. That means you’ll have to showcase the photos right after you take them, and you can only take them through the Pixel 8a’s Snapshot widget.
I can see it being great for showcasing photographs taken at children’s birthday parties, or that last big trip you took with your dog out to their favorite dog park. And, because it’s a widget you can have multiple of them appear across your phone, which is really handy for showing off different parts of your life right from your home screen.
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I wish Apple had a feature like this on my iPhone. I’d love to use it to showcase different photos of my dogs, cats, and even some of my family. It might seem like a silly little feature, but it’s a nice way to personalize your phone’s home screen even more without having to change the wallpaper fifty times to showcase everyone you want to show off.
The only thing it’s missing is the option to show off older photos that you took a while ago.
