This decision by Google is not surprising, given the desire to make AI an integral part of all its services. Google’s Magic Editor, an AI-powered photo editing suite, could become more accessible to a wider audience. This feature was originally introduced exclusively for Pixel smartphones as part of the Google Photos app and was only available to subscribers of the Google One cloud service. And if you want to watch some sporting events, together with the bookmaker Melbet online you can make your viewing even more interesting. On this site, you can bet on a large number of events.
Pre-history: the Google Photos application called Magic Editor was presented in May 2023
As part of the Google I/O conference, the American company introduced an updated feature for the artificial intelligence-based photo editor in the Google Photos application called Magic Editor.
The innovation, called Magic Editor, will allow users to edit images using artificial intelligence. Features include moving an object in a photo and adjusting the sky and background.
Using the example shown with an image of a woman against the backdrop of a waterfall, they demonstrated that by using the Magic Editor you can remove the strap of a bag from a photo that you forgot to take off, make the sky brighter, and less cloudy, and also move the woman in the photo or change its scale.
The second example showed a child with balloons that did not fit into the photo. With the help of artificial intelligence, the bench on which the child was sitting was moved, and the AI completed the missing part of the bench, balls, and background.
However, Magic Editor may soon lose its exclusivity
The specialized resource Android Authority analyzed the APK file of the latest version of Google Photos (6.78.0.622306643) and found lines of code hinting at this change.
It is speculated that Google may change its rules regarding the AI editor Magic Editor — it will become free but with certain limitations. Users will likely be able to edit their photos, but there will be a monthly limit on saving. If this limit is reached, users will be prompted to subscribe to Google One. Alternatively, they will have to wait until the next month to save the photos edited using Magic Editor. Google One subscribers, naturally, will continue to use this feature without any limitations.
Magic Editor offers impressive capabilities. Users can change the sky, apply various styles, but most importantly — rearrange objects and items, change their sizes, and even remove them. Trying out the Magic Eraser feature in Google Photos and being amazed by the magic of AI’s work is completely free, but saving the result without a Google One subscription won’t be possible. The company has done this intentionally to tempt users to subscribe to Google One.
Considering Google’s endeavor to make artificial intelligence an integral part of all its services, it wouldn’t be surprising if Magic Editor became publicly available shortly.
These features used to be locked behind a $20 subscription
Offering free access to tools that were previously paid for is rare in modern technology, but Google is breaking expectations by providing users of Google Photos with many of its AI-based editing tools for free. This includes Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Portrait Light. These features used to be locked behind a $20 subscription, but now anyone with a computer with over 3 GB of RAM, Chromebook Plus (running version 118 or newer), Android devices running version 8.0 or newer, and iOS devices running version 15 or newer will have free access (it will even work on Pixel tablets).
In summary, Magic Eraser is Google’s version of what photographers likely call content-aware fill-in terms of Photoshop. It allows users to select an object and “erase” it from view, intelligently replacing it with surrounding visual data. Photo Unblur attempts to enhance the sharpness of photos that may be out of focus and is not just for working with new photos – Google previously claimed it could work with any image. Portrait Light allows editors to adjust the position and brightness of light in portraits to make them more appealing.
In addition to these tools, Magic Editor, launched last year on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and utilizing generative AI, enables editors to perform “complex” photo edits using simple tools, such as changing the position of objects or altering the sky’s color, becoming more accessible. This tool is now available on all Pixel devices and is included for free in the Google Photos app, but restrictions still apply.
“Furthermore, all Google Photos users on Android and iOS will receive 10 saves in Magic Editor per month. To exceed this limit, you’ll need a Pixel device or a Google One Premium plan (2 TB and above),” Google clarifies.
These Google Photos tools will be “gradually rolled out” starting May 15 and over the following weeks to all devices meeting the minimum requirements.
