Google Photos is arguably one of the biggest cloud photo and video apps, and it is available on many platforms, like Android and iOS. But for large screens like TVs, the features of Google Photos have been quite limited, even on Google’s own Chromecast and Nest products. Now, in a surprise announcement, Samsung has revealed that Google Photos is arriving on its smart TV lineup, and it appears to be a much deeper integration.
On Google’s own devices, Google Photos works through ambient mode, which displays curated media as a screensaver or digital photo frame. This is far from the full experience found on mobile, but it is a nifty feature for enhancing the living room.
Scroll Google Photos Albums on Samsung TVs
In a press release, Samsung says it is launching Google Photos on select TVs starting in 2026. This is more than just a photo frame feature, as it arrives as a native app on Samsung Daily Plus with support for remote control navigation.
Samsung also detailed that it is first shipping Memories, which shows curated stories based on people, locations, and meaningful moments. The South Korean company said its TVs are the first to get this specific Google Photos feature. It also mentioned this will be exclusive for six months starting from March 2026.
Samsung TVs will also get Gemini-powered, theme-based templates for image generation and Remix, which turns photos into short videos. There are exclusive templates designed specifically for Samsung’s large screen devices. In addition, Google Photos on Samsung TVs brings personalized results, which turn related photos into slideshows based on categories. Both functions are planned to be added later in 2026.
Compatible Samsung TVs
Samsung says these features will first arrive on TVs launched in 2026, but they may also bring backward compatibility on previous models through updates. A Google Account is required to utilize Google Photos, though this integration is free for these devices.
Google is ramping up its efforts to expand Google Photos to more devices, and it is surprising that Samsung TVs are getting first dibs. It is likely we will see these features rolling out to Google TVs and Chromecast eventually, at least in some capacity.
How often do you use Google Photos? What are your thoughts on the app coming to your large-screen devices? We are interested in hearing your thoughts.
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