Google Clips is a hands-free camera working with AI technology. It can automatically capture short clips whenever it detects people or pets close-by. Then the Google Clips app transfers the videos from the camera and saves them.
The technology determines on its own what the best framing or lightning settings would be and can recognize certain expressions such as smiles, people looking directly at the camera, or puckering up for a kiss.
In theory, the camera was supposed to capture important moments. With it, users wouldn’t have to worry about having their phone ready to capture their pet’s newest trick or their child’s first step. In practice, however, Google Clips failed to deliver.
Customers who tried it weren’t overly impressed – out of hundreds of videos, only a couple of dozens lived up to the hype. Considering the somewhat steep price of $249, it’s no surprise that the product didn’t sell. According to SensorTower, the camera’s app was downloaded about 15,000 times, so the sales must have been somewhere around these numbers.
Google announced their decision to discontinue the product in October 2019 when they removed it from the Google Store. The camera and the app will be supported until December 2021. After that, Google will no longer release new updates.
The technology used for Google Clips was first integrated into Pixel 3’s Photobooth and later in the Auto feature on Pixel’s camera. This way Google's device users will still have the option to capture meaningful moments automatically in one way or another.
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