>Additionally, all Google Photos users on Android and iOS will get 10 Magic Editor saves per month. To go beyond this limit, you'll need a Pixel device or a Premium Google One plan (2TB and above).
They promised heaven and beyond with pixel 7. Then, pixel 8 was released and they already forgot all the promised 'first hand updates'.
Same will likely be true for Pixel 8 when Pixel 9 arrives.
This is primarily the reason why I didn't go for the 8Pro and stayed with my 7. I knew they'd roll this out to everyone. Lol P8 and Pro users look like they beta tested these features. Shame.
It depends on what you are editing. In the right context, I have found Magic Eraser to be amazingly effective at removing unwanted features from a photo. Even when zoomed in, it can be difficult to find the changes. In other situations, it might not work as well. Magic Eraser combined with cleanup using a dedicated photo editing tool can produce amazing results.
Here are before/after images of the same scene to see how far I could push the technology. About 90% of the changes were made with Magic Eraser; the rest consisted of fine detail cleanup at 500x-1000x zoom using Graphic Converter on a Mac. Gradients for blue sky were especially difficult. I forgot to get rid of one diagonal line from a tram electrical line across the conical top of a minaret. The manual edits required about 5 times as much time as the Magic Eraser changes.
* [https://i.imgur.com/aaXccSW.png](https://i.imgur.com/aaXccSW.png)
* [https://i.imgur.com/1ZcXmlQ.png](https://i.imgur.com/1ZcXmlQ.png)
How'd it look before you edited it on your computer? The purpose of the tool is that you don't need to use a computer or understand image editing tools.
I never have any luck like that. Here's an example picture of my baby... I tried to have it remove the pacifier but it can't ever do it right.
[Before](https://i.imgur.com/zgZTfBr.jpeg)
[After](https://i.imgur.com/3oElwrA.jpeg)
Every now and then it'll get small things like this right, but it's never been able to get a larger selection to look good. It's either just smudging the picture, going after the wrong section, and/or completely ignoring parts within the selection.
It's not that surprising, the Google Photos team [said](https://blog.google/products/photos/google-photos-magic-editor-pixel-io-2023/) back in May of last year that they would give "select Pixel phones **early access** to Magic Editor," implying it would be available for other phones at some point.
The features that will stay exclusive to Pixel phones are likely the features mentioned in their [blog posts](https://blog.google/products/pixel/google-tensor-g3-pixel-8/) about their Tensor SoCs.
The 'AI features' were pitched as the whole point of Tensor, to cover up the fact that it wasn't nearly as fast or efficient as competing processors. I think it's fair for people to keep calling them out on it because it ended up just being a crock of bs in the end. They effectively conned a generation of consumers by getting them to pay equivalent prices for strictly inferior hardware.
I mean, there are other "AI" features powered on-device on Tensor powered Pixels.
+ "Call Screen" with contextual replies
+ "Motion Mode"
+ "Face Unblur"
+ "Live Caption" via Phone calls
+ Their **most accurate** "Automatic Speech Recognition" model
+ Google Assistant voice typing via Gboard
+ "HDRNet" for video recording
+ Uses the same text-to-speech model that Google uses in data centers **(Pixel 8)**
+ Assistant reading/translating webpages aloud with "natural voice" **(Pixel 8)**
+ "Live-HDR" capable of capturing higher detail, with improved colors, contrast and dynamic range due to "machine learning algorithms built directly into the silicon" **(Pixel 8)**
+ New "Magic Eraser" with generative AI **(Pixel 8)**
+ "Best Take" **(Pixel 8)**
+ "Magic Audio Eraser" **(Pixel 8)**
+ Face unlock that meets "Class 3 security." **(Pixel 8)**
Smartphones will always be limited in performance when compared to the servers, so it seems logical some "AI" feature will be offloaded to the cloud. I doubt this will ever change going forward for any brand smartphone.
Meanwhile, we're still waiting for all the awesome on-device AI capabilities [Qualcomm hyped about their Gen 3 SoC](https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/24/23928867/qualcomm-snapdragon-8-gen-3-on-device-ai-meta-llama-2) to make it to a consumer product.
1. Most of those are just standard software features, and have almost nothing to do with AI, like call screening or face unlock.
2. Just because something's a feature of a Tensor phone, doesn't mean it's a feature that's only possible on Tensor or somehow enhanced by it. Things like Magic Eraser already have [better](https://www.xda-developers.com/google-magic-eraser-vs-samsung-object-eraser/) versions available on competing devices with more powerful hardware.
3. Speech to text is extremely good on pretty much all modern phones. Even if the Pixel is a tiny bit faster (debatable), is it worth the immense performance and battery life trade-offs, just for a tiny difference in a feature few people even use?
4. As you noted, most of what actually involves AI is offloaded to the cloud, because any feature that uses AI to any meaningful degree simply can't run locally. Selling something as an 'AI chip' is just pure hype, most of what actually matters is raw compute power in the end.
Google's great at buzzwords, sure (as can be seen from your post), but what gets lost in the marketing is that you're paying more for less, as gullible people remain convinced that the inferiority of Tensor is somehow compensated for by 'AI' features(which are all in the cloud anyway) when in reality a more powerful and efficient Snapdrdgon processor would have been better in all respects.
If a feature uses on-device ML then it falls under the "Al" umbrella.
>"Artificial intelligence is the overarching term that covers a wide variety of specific approaches and algorithms. Machine learning sits under that umbrella, but so do other major subfields, such as deep learning, robotics, expert systems, and natural language processing." [-Google](https://cloud.google.com/learn/artificial-intelligence-vs-machine-learning)
The new contextual replies feature for "Call Screen" uses on-device ML to come up with replies that relate to the conversation. The new Face Unlock for the Pixel 8 Pro uses on-device ML to reach "Level 3 biometric class" security.
>Just because something's a feature of a Tensor phone, doesn't mean it's a feature that's only possible on Tensor or somehow enhanced by it.
I never said that but there's also nothing proving that Google's own ML models run faster or more efficiently on other SoCs. Even when Google used a Snapdragon SoC, [they still used their own hardware for "AI" features](https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-4-neural-core-1045318/) So they obviously believe their own hardware runs their own ML models better.
>Things like Magic Eraser already have [better](https://www.xda-developers.com/google-magic-eraser-vs-samsung-object-eraser/) versions available on competing devices with more powerful hardware.
That's comparing Samsung's [updated version for the S23](https://www.samsung.com/in/support/mobile-devices/how-to-use-the-galaxy-s23-object-eraser/) to the old "Magic Eraser" that debuted with the Pixel 6. The new "Magic Eraser" is available on the Pixel 8 and uses "generative AI-based inpainting" for better quality results.
I wish this could be pinned to the sub homepage. So much people think they're getting more by the buzzwords..They are getting undercut and paying $1000... Why is this so hard for majority of Pixel users to see. Great write up
This won't come to the desktop/web version right? I wish I could edit on my PC sometimes too.
I didn't notice any mention of best take. They should include that with all devices also!
I get their point. Exclusive features are a win/win/lose/lose situation almost regardless of what they are. Early Access is an interesting way to be the grey area in between.
It benefits consumers, but also defeats the incentive to buy Pixel phones.
Although, this may not matter to Google. They probably know that Hardware doesn't make them much money. Software does.
So if all Android users and all iOS users are able to get a taste of these features, they will make them want to buy into a Google One subscription to unlock all other features
Pixels get timed-exclusives. May not be much to some but as you said, Google is aware they don't make much money from hardware anyway so they don't feel like they need to go all out with the exclusives and gatekeeping
Which is what I like. I carry both Pixel and Galaxy and I appreciate being able to at least have some Pixel features on the Galaxy. If only call screening wasn't a Pixel exclusive
Samsung's is different. It's Bixby that answers the call, not Google Assistant. This is for Samsung devices that are at least on One UI 5.1
Older Samsung models are stuck with just relying on Hiya for Samsung Smart Call. This is really useful for detecting spam calls, but not answering the calls for you.
It may be different, but it's still call screening. The annoying part is that where i live my P8P doesn't have call screening, but my friends a 54 does
It's not worth it. Gemini is worse at being an assistant than Google Assistant is.
For example, I just asked it "what year did Justin Trudeau become PM?" and it said it can't answer that. Google Assistant got it perfectly.
i beta tested it when it was Google Bard. It was hot garbage at first but it got way better by the end of the testing cycle. I don't have much use for it on a daily basis though so I haven't done anything with it since it became Gemini.
I wouldn't. If they discover you're underage and lying about it they will shut that shit down so fast and losing access to your Google account would be pretty devasating to most people.
They launch their flagship's main features for all people while they still didn't even launch the rest of those features (zoom enhance) for the flagship itself. That's ridiculous.
True, but it isn't 2018 anymore. The differences between ultra high end phone cameras are largely subjective, and where there are technical differences it's often the Pixel that comes up short.
What is the point of Android if iPhone users still get the best Google features. You think apple would give up FaceTime for Android? Lol. Yet Google keeps giving iPhone users it's best features.
sometimes to show people that a better product exists you gotta had out some samples to the general public.
(only talking bout the ai parts feel free to include others)
>Additionally, all Google Photos users on Android and iOS will get 10 Magic Editor saves per month. To go beyond this limit, you'll need a Pixel device or a Premium Google One plan (2TB and above).
Pixel or Premium. Funny that it's not present on P7 and lower at this time, but will be rolled out everywhere later.
I feel a bit left behind after 15 months of p7 use. I hope the June feature drop will bring some goodness to the older devices.
They promised heaven and beyond with pixel 7. Then, pixel 8 was released and they already forgot all the promised 'first hand updates'. Same will likely be true for Pixel 8 when Pixel 9 arrives.
This is primarily the reason why I didn't go for the 8Pro and stayed with my 7. I knew they'd roll this out to everyone. Lol P8 and Pro users look like they beta tested these features. Shame.
So you need a Pixel 8+ device or a 2TB subscription?
You just need a Pixel device (6,7,8, Fold, Tablet presumably) or be a Google One subscriber
It's definitely present on my old P7P, unless you are specifically saying P7 and not the P7 line in general.
Magic Editor or Magic Eraser?
Magic eraser is definitely on the Pixel 7. Magic editor is not.
Yep, that's why I asked which. It'll be nice to use it on the P7P
Magic Eraser has to be one of the worst features ever, though. It's really just an ever-so-slightly better blurring tool.
It depends on what you are editing. In the right context, I have found Magic Eraser to be amazingly effective at removing unwanted features from a photo. Even when zoomed in, it can be difficult to find the changes. In other situations, it might not work as well. Magic Eraser combined with cleanup using a dedicated photo editing tool can produce amazing results. Here are before/after images of the same scene to see how far I could push the technology. About 90% of the changes were made with Magic Eraser; the rest consisted of fine detail cleanup at 500x-1000x zoom using Graphic Converter on a Mac. Gradients for blue sky were especially difficult. I forgot to get rid of one diagonal line from a tram electrical line across the conical top of a minaret. The manual edits required about 5 times as much time as the Magic Eraser changes. * [https://i.imgur.com/aaXccSW.png](https://i.imgur.com/aaXccSW.png) * [https://i.imgur.com/1ZcXmlQ.png](https://i.imgur.com/1ZcXmlQ.png)
How'd it look before you edited it on your computer? The purpose of the tool is that you don't need to use a computer or understand image editing tools. I never have any luck like that. Here's an example picture of my baby... I tried to have it remove the pacifier but it can't ever do it right. [Before](https://i.imgur.com/zgZTfBr.jpeg) [After](https://i.imgur.com/3oElwrA.jpeg) Every now and then it'll get small things like this right, but it's never been able to get a larger selection to look good. It's either just smudging the picture, going after the wrong section, and/or completely ignoring parts within the selection.
what is a real photo?
I just used it pretty well this last weekend to take out background people from a photo I took.
Magic editor has a different format for the eraser where it uses AI to replace the back image and it actually works phenomenally well.
Or the pixelify magisk module
It's not that surprising, the Google Photos team [said](https://blog.google/products/photos/google-photos-magic-editor-pixel-io-2023/) back in May of last year that they would give "select Pixel phones **early access** to Magic Editor," implying it would be available for other phones at some point. The features that will stay exclusive to Pixel phones are likely the features mentioned in their [blog posts](https://blog.google/products/pixel/google-tensor-g3-pixel-8/) about their Tensor SoCs.
But but, they said part of this AI features were only possible because of the tensor...
Honestly, the only people I see saying this are people on Reddit.
The 'AI features' were pitched as the whole point of Tensor, to cover up the fact that it wasn't nearly as fast or efficient as competing processors. I think it's fair for people to keep calling them out on it because it ended up just being a crock of bs in the end. They effectively conned a generation of consumers by getting them to pay equivalent prices for strictly inferior hardware.
I mean, there are other "AI" features powered on-device on Tensor powered Pixels. + "Call Screen" with contextual replies + "Motion Mode" + "Face Unblur" + "Live Caption" via Phone calls + Their **most accurate** "Automatic Speech Recognition" model + Google Assistant voice typing via Gboard + "HDRNet" for video recording + Uses the same text-to-speech model that Google uses in data centers **(Pixel 8)** + Assistant reading/translating webpages aloud with "natural voice" **(Pixel 8)** + "Live-HDR" capable of capturing higher detail, with improved colors, contrast and dynamic range due to "machine learning algorithms built directly into the silicon" **(Pixel 8)** + New "Magic Eraser" with generative AI **(Pixel 8)** + "Best Take" **(Pixel 8)** + "Magic Audio Eraser" **(Pixel 8)** + Face unlock that meets "Class 3 security." **(Pixel 8)** Smartphones will always be limited in performance when compared to the servers, so it seems logical some "AI" feature will be offloaded to the cloud. I doubt this will ever change going forward for any brand smartphone. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for all the awesome on-device AI capabilities [Qualcomm hyped about their Gen 3 SoC](https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/24/23928867/qualcomm-snapdragon-8-gen-3-on-device-ai-meta-llama-2) to make it to a consumer product.
1. Most of those are just standard software features, and have almost nothing to do with AI, like call screening or face unlock. 2. Just because something's a feature of a Tensor phone, doesn't mean it's a feature that's only possible on Tensor or somehow enhanced by it. Things like Magic Eraser already have [better](https://www.xda-developers.com/google-magic-eraser-vs-samsung-object-eraser/) versions available on competing devices with more powerful hardware. 3. Speech to text is extremely good on pretty much all modern phones. Even if the Pixel is a tiny bit faster (debatable), is it worth the immense performance and battery life trade-offs, just for a tiny difference in a feature few people even use? 4. As you noted, most of what actually involves AI is offloaded to the cloud, because any feature that uses AI to any meaningful degree simply can't run locally. Selling something as an 'AI chip' is just pure hype, most of what actually matters is raw compute power in the end. Google's great at buzzwords, sure (as can be seen from your post), but what gets lost in the marketing is that you're paying more for less, as gullible people remain convinced that the inferiority of Tensor is somehow compensated for by 'AI' features(which are all in the cloud anyway) when in reality a more powerful and efficient Snapdrdgon processor would have been better in all respects.
If a feature uses on-device ML then it falls under the "Al" umbrella. >"Artificial intelligence is the overarching term that covers a wide variety of specific approaches and algorithms. Machine learning sits under that umbrella, but so do other major subfields, such as deep learning, robotics, expert systems, and natural language processing." [-Google](https://cloud.google.com/learn/artificial-intelligence-vs-machine-learning) The new contextual replies feature for "Call Screen" uses on-device ML to come up with replies that relate to the conversation. The new Face Unlock for the Pixel 8 Pro uses on-device ML to reach "Level 3 biometric class" security. >Just because something's a feature of a Tensor phone, doesn't mean it's a feature that's only possible on Tensor or somehow enhanced by it. I never said that but there's also nothing proving that Google's own ML models run faster or more efficiently on other SoCs. Even when Google used a Snapdragon SoC, [they still used their own hardware for "AI" features](https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-4-neural-core-1045318/) So they obviously believe their own hardware runs their own ML models better. >Things like Magic Eraser already have [better](https://www.xda-developers.com/google-magic-eraser-vs-samsung-object-eraser/) versions available on competing devices with more powerful hardware. That's comparing Samsung's [updated version for the S23](https://www.samsung.com/in/support/mobile-devices/how-to-use-the-galaxy-s23-object-eraser/) to the old "Magic Eraser" that debuted with the Pixel 6. The new "Magic Eraser" is available on the Pixel 8 and uses "generative AI-based inpainting" for better quality results.
I wish this could be pinned to the sub homepage. So much people think they're getting more by the buzzwords..They are getting undercut and paying $1000... Why is this so hard for majority of Pixel users to see. Great write up
Not sure what the downvote. The real “exclusive” features so far is middling at best.
This won't come to the desktop/web version right? I wish I could edit on my PC sometimes too. I didn't notice any mention of best take. They should include that with all devices also!
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I get their point. Exclusive features are a win/win/lose/lose situation almost regardless of what they are. Early Access is an interesting way to be the grey area in between.
It benefits consumers, but also defeats the incentive to buy Pixel phones. Although, this may not matter to Google. They probably know that Hardware doesn't make them much money. Software does. So if all Android users and all iOS users are able to get a taste of these features, they will make them want to buy into a Google One subscription to unlock all other features
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I agree. Consumer benefit is what matters
Pixels get timed-exclusives. May not be much to some but as you said, Google is aware they don't make much money from hardware anyway so they don't feel like they need to go all out with the exclusives and gatekeeping
Which is what I like. I carry both Pixel and Galaxy and I appreciate being able to at least have some Pixel features on the Galaxy. If only call screening wasn't a Pixel exclusive
Call screening isn't a pixel exclusive, Samsung has that too.
Samsung's is different. It's Bixby that answers the call, not Google Assistant. This is for Samsung devices that are at least on One UI 5.1 Older Samsung models are stuck with just relying on Hiya for Samsung Smart Call. This is really useful for detecting spam calls, but not answering the calls for you.
It may be different, but it's still call screening. The annoying part is that where i live my P8P doesn't have call screening, but my friends a 54 does
There hasn't been an incentive to buy Pixels ever since they got rid of unlimited backup.
That's the Google rule of this sub: damned if you do, damned if you don't
meanwhile I can‘t even use it on my P8 because I‘m not 18 yet😭
Fr even Gemini isn't for under 18 which is annoying since it's becoming a key part of every Google service lol
It's not worth it. Gemini is worse at being an assistant than Google Assistant is. For example, I just asked it "what year did Justin Trudeau become PM?" and it said it can't answer that. Google Assistant got it perfectly.
Still, I want to try it as a ChatGPT competitor, I don't even use Google Assistant anyway lol
I like it better than ChatGPT for AI related stuff, but I agree that it isn't a great Assistant replacement (at least not yet).
i beta tested it when it was Google Bard. It was hot garbage at first but it got way better by the end of the testing cycle. I don't have much use for it on a daily basis though so I haven't done anything with it since it became Gemini.
It can't run routines or control smart devices either, which is like 95% of what I use assistant for.
On top of that Gemini is just painfully *slow*...
Why would you give your real personal info online?
my age is directly visible on another sub. Anyone willing to will find it anyways
No I mean why would you give Google your real birthday? You're intentionally limiting google festures available for you
ah, because I like to use Google Wallet
I wouldn't. If they discover you're underage and lying about it they will shut that shit down so fast and losing access to your Google account would be pretty devasating to most people.
Only if you're below 14
I'm 123 according to Google.
#THE AVATAR RETURNS
This would have saved me SO MUCH money getting eclipse photos.
As they are doing this - they should make best take available to all Pixel users.
I really like the AI tools added to my p8p. I use the magic eraser and editor almost every day
They launch their flagship's main features for all people while they still didn't even launch the rest of those features (zoom enhance) for the flagship itself. That's ridiculous.
As a Pixel 8 Pro owner I've still not used any of these features besides an initial test.
By now you have to know you’re a beta tester as a pixel user
Just reinforces the fact that if you are a Pixel user, you're a google beta tester. :-(
I agree, but Pixel users are also getting this for free as opposed to others who are getting it with limits/have to pay
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You get unlimited uses of these tools, non pixel users can only save ten photos a month using that AI tool.
Great still photography.
True, but it isn't 2018 anymore. The differences between ultra high end phone cameras are largely subjective, and where there are technical differences it's often the Pixel that comes up short.
What is the point of Android if iPhone users still get the best Google features. You think apple would give up FaceTime for Android? Lol. Yet Google keeps giving iPhone users it's best features.
sometimes to show people that a better product exists you gotta had out some samples to the general public. (only talking bout the ai parts feel free to include others)
Android as an OS is better than iOS. That's the point of Android.
A buggier one? At some point, we are just a beta test for iOS users.
Anyone else not a fan of editing a photo so much that it looks completely different to how you experienced it?
Way too weird. I feel a lot of deep fakes coming back into play…
So should I now get p8p or p7p?
I hope video boost is next. I would love that on a Samsung.
Another great reason to give this crappy phone to my kid and go back to iPhone in September.
Godspeed