Memories features in Photos app gets Apple Music integration, new features in iOS 15

Announced alongside a slew of iOS 15 updates, the new Memories capabilities deliver additional video customization options while keeping the feature fresh.

Apple Music integration tops the list of new functions, with subscribers of the streaming service able to add any track to a memory. This is on top of hundreds of original songs that will be added to the feature at launch. The integration also includes song suggestions that combine expert recommendations with a user's personal tastes. Suggestions can also recommend songs that were popular at the time and location of the memory, "songs you listened to while traveling, or a song from the artist you saw for a concert memory," Apple says.

Focusing on cinematic representation, Apple is adding 12 new Memory "looks" that analyze photos and video, and apply contrast and color adjustments to achieve a uniform aesthetic. A related automation feature recognizes additional memory types like international holidays, child-focused memories, trends over time, and improved pet memories. The latter is able to recognize individual dogs and cats.

A new Memory mixes feature lets users swipe to audition different songs. Pacing and memory look are adjusted to match the new tunes.

The Memories tab has been updated with animated cards that integrate adaptive titles, new animation and transition styles. Also new is a multi-image collage card, populated automatically by Photos.

An interactive playback and editing interface introduces options to pause, replay the last photo, skip to the next photo or jump ahead, all with synced music. Importantly, changing the song, Memory look, individual photos or video does not require recompilation. A new birds'-eye overview of Memory content lets users add, remove or change the video's duration or jump ahead to another part of the memory.

Finally, an up next gallery offers viewing recommendations for related Memories.

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