Magic Eraser, the Google Pixel's best trick, is coming to your iPhone and Galaxy

Date:
Thu, 23 Feb 2023 22:08:36 +0000

Description:
Google One subscribers will now be able to edit photos in Google Photos using the Magic Eraser tool from Pixel phones

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Some of the hottest selling points for Google Pixel phones are the exclusive Google software features, especially the photo editing tools. If you want to use Googles amazing Photo Unblur, for instance, you must have a Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro . Now Magic Eraser , one of Googles premier Pixel features, is coming to myriad other devices, including iPhones and competitor Android smartphones.

Magic Eraser launched with the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones. When
the Pixel 6a was announced, it did not have Magic Eraser on board, but the feature was added in a later update . The Pixel 6 Pro launched with Magic Eraser (Image credit: TechRadar)

Google says that all Google One subscribers, including iOS users, will be
able to use Magic Eraser in Google Photos. All Google Pixel owners should
have access to the feature as well.

Google One is a cloud storage and VPN service plan that gives you more space for your free Google account. If you synchronize photos and videos to Google Photos, it can be especially useful, especially with todays higher-resolution cameras and videos.

Magic Eraser is a smart erasing tool that can sense unwanted elements in the background and suggest removing them. These bits are replaced with natural-looking, photorealistic enhancements. You can select the background element you want to destroy, or let Magic Eraser do it for you.

In practice, Magic Eraser works remarkably well . Google was wise in making sure this feature was part of Google Photos, and not baked into the Pixel phone cameras. That means you can edit any photo stored in Googles cloud, not just photos taken recently.

This makes Magic Eraser a natural fit for sharing across platforms since it already relies on Googles cloud and machine learning. In fact, it makes us wonder about another amazing Google photo feature, and whether its days of exclusivity are numbered. Photo Unblur is still exclusive to the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7 (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Google has long maintained to us that Photo Unblur will remain exclusive to Pixel phones, and it currently only works with phones that carry the Tensor
G2 chipset: the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Still, just like Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur is found in the Google Photos app. Also like Eraser, Photo Unblur lets you work magic on any photo , not just photos taken with Pixel phones.

Photo Unblur is fantastic, but Magic Eraser was always the real magic trick. Now that its coming to all Google One subscribers, wed be surprised if Photo Unblur stays exclusive much longer.

Google may have a new phone on the way in the next few months if there is a mid-year Pixel 7a launch, similar to past years. That would be a decisive
time to determine if Photo Unblur will be shared, or if it will remain a key selling point to buy Googles own hardware. This wasnt going to be exclusive for long

Truthfully, the likely reason that Google is sharing Magic Eraser across platforms is that major competitors will have similar offerings on the market soon enough if they dont already. Adobe offers context-aware editing, and Apple has "lift subject from background" on the iPhone.

Still, it was a great selling point for Google phones, and it helped Google get away with a bit. The cameras didnt have to be so great if the photo editing tools could fix any photo. Actually, it turns out Google Pixel phones have great cameras, especially if you spring for the Pro models. So maybe
this wasnt such an advantage after all.

Google won't sit on its laurels while it gives away the best Pixel features. The next Pixel phone will likely bring some new exclusive feature. Hopefully, it's something that wows us as much as Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur. Perhaps a deep-fake detection tool to bring those magically-erased folks back.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/magic-eraser-the-google-pixels-best-trick-is-co ming-to-your-iphone-and-galaxy


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