Tumblr has launched a new tool that will help users make GIFs on their mobile devices. The tool, aptly titled "GIF Maker," allows users to use their iPhone to turn burst photos into GIFs. The tool will not be a standalone app, but will rather become a core feature of the Tumblr app.
The news follows other GIF initiatives by Tumblr, such as the launch of Tumblr TV and GIF search.
"Tumblr is the home of the GIF and we've been working on GIFs for a really long time, with GIF curation, GIF search, and our Tumblr TV initiative," said Kevin Grant, a Tumblr engineer who led project management on the GIF Maker, in an interview with TechCrunch. "And something we've really been excited about for a long time is to actually create them."
While it might seem like Tumblr is late when it comes to GIFs, the company suggests that it wasn't until recently that phones had enough processing power to convert burst photos and videos into GIFs.
To use the new feature, users simply need to tap on the "Compose" button, after which they will need to create a new "Photo" post. Users will then have an option to filter the images in their camera roll by GIFs, with the option being at the bottom of the screen.
The tool offers a number of editing features, such as the ability to trim clips and choose whether or not to loop or even rebound, which basically means the GIF will play back in reverse.
One of the great things about the new tool is the fact that isn't limited to content that users have taken themselves. Users can also download images from the Web, hugely expanding the content that can be created using GIF Maker.
Via: TechCrunch
Photo: josh james | Flickr
