Apple Photos app is getting an AI-powered editing feature to wipe out photobombers
With the impending barrage of AI features during Apple's WWDC event next week, expect some announcements to be more practical than gimmicky. One of the standouts will likely be Apple's rumored photo editor tool, which will function similarly to Google's Magic Eraser, reports Bloomberg.
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The new feature, baked into the Photos app, will allow users to enhance images -- possibly by adjusting the lighting, color temperature, or sharpness -- as well as remove a person or subject from the frame. We've seen a similar functionality before with Google's Magic Eraser feature, which was previously exclusive to Pixel phones but has since been made accessible via Google Photos.
It's also akin to Photoshop's Content Aware Fill tool, which covers up select areas by gathering the visual data around them and reproducing similar-looking pixels. I've tested such features before and they're often hit-or-miss, especially when it comes to removing a subject in a busier photo. At times, a person's body may not be removed completely (or cleanly), making it obvious that the image has been modified. But when the feature works, it can swiftly remove random objects, pets, and photobombers from what would otherwise be a ruined shot.
If the reports are true, it's great to see Apple making its AI-powered photo editor widely available from the start; on an app basis versus device. However, there is a chance that the feature will be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro series, which fields a more capable A17 Pro chip, and iPads and Macs running on at least an M1 chip, says Bloomberg.
Considering Apple's philosophy of releasing products only when they're ready, here's to hoping its photo editing tool will produce more consistent and satisfactory results, especially if it wants its customers to believe in its AI capabilities. We'll know all the official details during Apple's WWDC keynote, which you can tune in on Monday, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.