Ente, a versatile and privacy-focused photo management app, is swiftly approaching its major release, version 1.0, with its latest update, v0.9, bringing an array of powerful tools and enhancements that promise to elevate the user experience.
You might not have heard of Ente since it’s only been available as open-source software for a few months. Here’s some additional information about it.
Ente is a privacy-focused cloud service for storing, sharing, and managing photos and videos. It is a privacy-friendly alternative to big tech photo storage services like Google Photos or iCloud Photos.
In other words, it falls into the same group of photo management solutions as the popular Immich and PhotoPrism. It also provides self-hosted possibilities, making it an attractive option for privacy-focused tech enthusiasts. Now, let’s see what the new version offers.
Ente Photos 0.9 Highlights
In its most recent update, Ente has introduced a fully offline video editor that enables users to trim, crop, and rotate videos directly from their mobile devices. This addition addresses the growing demand for on-the-go video editing capabilities, making it easier for users to refine their videos without needing an internet connection.
As always, Ente’s priority is to enhance security. In light of this, v0.9 adds support for passkeys and hardware keys, further bolstering account security—a timely feature, considering the slow yet growing adoption of passkeys across platforms. Users are encouraged to activate these new security measures by visiting the ‘Settings‘ menu and navigating to ‘Security.’
Moreover, link sharing has also seen significant improvements. Despite the end-to-end encryption that secures Ente’s album links, the platform now generates visually appealing previews for shared photos. These previews are created client-side, ensuring privacy while enhancing the aesthetic appeal of shared content.
For those who enjoy a dynamic and personalized mobile experience, Ente now supports home screen widgets on Android devices. Users can display their favorite photos directly on their home screens for quick and easy access.
Another notable feature is the ability to cast photos on larger screens. Using Chromecast or another device, users can project their albums while maintaining end-to-end encryption, ensuring their privacy is never compromised.
The app’s discovery features in Ente 0.9 have also been substantially upgraded. The app has revamped its memories tab and search functionality, improving how users rediscover old photos. Additionally, the new Places feature utilizes data from OpenStreetMaps to help users find photos based on location, enhancing the app’s utility for travel enthusiasts and event organizers alike.
Lastly, the new large file explorer with a “Sort by Size” function will be particularly useful for those managing extensive media libraries. This feature makes identifying and managing large files that may consume excessive storage space easier.
Ente is not stopping with these updates. The roadmap to v1.0 includes plans to integrate on-device machine learning for features like face recognition and semantic search while maintaining strict privacy protocols with end-to-end encryption.
Refer to the announcement or GitHub’s changelog for detailed information about all changes.
