INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
AI-powered photo management app Zyl is going back to the drawing board with a streamlined, more efficient redesign
The app is now focused on one thing only — resurfacing your old memories.Taking photos on a smartphone is now a daily habit
But what about looking back at photos you took one year, three years or even eight years ago It can pile up quite quickly
Zyl thinks there’s emotional value in those long-forgotten photos.Before this update, Zyl helped you delete duplicates, create smart
photo albums based on multiple criteria and collaborate on photo albums
In other words, it was a utility app.But when the company started talking with some of their users, they realized that one feature stood out
and had more value than the rest.Applying those AI-powered models to your photo library is a great way to find interesting photos
But nobody was really looking at them.When you open the app, you get a view of your camera roll with your last photos at the bottom
There’s also a big green button at the bottom
When you tap on it, Zyl creates a satisfying animation and unveils an important photo.If you took multiple photos to capture this moment,
the app stitches together those photos and create a GIF
You can then share this Zyl with a friend or family member.But the true magic happens if you try to get another Zyl
You have to wait 24 hours to unlock another photo
The next day, the app sends you a notification when your photo is ready
You can always open the app again and look at your past Zyls in a new tab with your most important photos.Unlike Timehop or Facebook’s
“On This Day” feature, Zyl doesn’t look at your social media posts and focuses on your camera roll
Zyl isn’t limited to anniversaries either.Just like before, Zyl respects your privacy and leaves your photos alone
They’re never sent to the company’s server — Zyl uses the same photo database as the native one on your iPhone or Android phone so it
doesn’t eat up more storage.Over time, the app could give you more options by leveraging facial recognition and the intrinsic social graph
Maybe you want to see more photos of your brother as his wedding is coming up.And that notification can be a powerful nudge
I keep opening the app and sharing old photos
Zyl is a good example of the combination of something that you care about combined with an element of surprise.
