Samsung released the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge early this year, and people have been raving about them ever since. Perhaps one of the S7 Edge's biggest surprises is the amount of upgraded hardware Samsung invested on its camera, putting it slightly ahead of the iPhone in terms of speed, picture and depth quality.
Samsung has also jumped onto the "moving pictures" bandwagon by adding a Motion Photos feature in its S7 Edge device, similar to iPhone's Live Photos. Though slightly similar in concept, Motion Photos and Live Photos still have few subtle differences that are worth noting.
Apple was first to launch the Live Photos feature when it unveiled the iPhone 6s series in September last year. Live Photos allows users to capture images with sound, as well as record a few seconds of video before and after a photo is taken.
Shooting Live Photos is limited to the latest iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models, although all devices equipped with iOS 9 or later can view the images. Users with 3D Touch-capable iPhones can launch the image by pressing on the photo, while those with older devices may require the basic tap-and-hold. Live Photos sharing is only available among iPhone users and requires a separate app, such as Lively or LiveGIF to export files and make them viewable on Android devices. By plugging the iPhone into a PC or Mac, users will be able download Live Photos in video clip format.
Sharing Motion Photos through the Samsung Galaxy S7, on the other hand, is a bit easier for users. The Motion Photos feature records frames before a picture is taken, giving users the option to send either still images or a stitched .mp4 video file. As a bonus feature, Samsung also allows its users to pause the video at any point and capture that particular frame as a separate image. Since Motion Photos only captures movements and has no sound, it makes the file lighter and easier to export.
Samsung may have intentionally toned down its marketing of Motion Photos to avoid having it labeled as a copycat of Live Photos, but users cannot help but compare. In the end, both devices will be judged based on their core features, such as usability, durability and performance, in addition to their camera functionalities.
