Google’s Pixel smartphones The Pixel 9s have long been known for their excellent camera systems, but in recent years the company has chosen to supercharge its imaging platform with AI features that expand its capabilities. Taking a photo is no longer just about tapping a shutter button and getting a good image. There are now ways to erase unwanted objects, move subjects in your photos and let AI fill in the background, and even remove distracting sounds like sirens from videos. This year’s Pixel 9 series goes even further with more generative AI capabilities that can alter, enhance, and generally make your photos better.
Google says it has completely rebuilt the Pixel 9 The series’ HDR+ workflow – the image processing algorithm that ensures your photos have just the right levels of contrast, exposure, colours and shadows – is getting better. But new features like Add Me, Reimagine, Autoframe and Zoom Enhance go beyond the capture stage and make it easier for anyone to perform tasks that previously required a little technical knowledge in a photo editing app. Here’s the lowdown.
And to learn more about how these features were developed, read my exclusive interview with members of Google’s Pixel camera team.
Add me
Photography: Joel Chokkattu
You’ve probably been in a situation where you want to take a selfie with your partner or family in front of an object, like the Eiffel Tower, but someone You have to take the photo, right? Instead of handing your $1,000 phone to a stranger, Add Me performs the same task.
This is a special mode on the Pixel 9 phones that first asks you to scan the surrounding area briefly. You’ll then take a photo of your loved one in front of the subject, then swap places. When you take over photo-capturing duties, you’ll see a faded image of yourself in the camera preview, and the camera app will suggest a spot for the second person to stand. Once you press the shutter button, it will overlay the images so it looks like both people are standing next to each other, even when they’re not.
It worked well in my brief tests, and naturally I tried to see if I could duplicate myself. This worked once, but all other attempts failed. That’s because Google says it wasn’t designed to have the same person appear twice. Maybe if you change your shirt or try to look different enough, it might work. I’ll have to do more testing to see how well it works when you want to put your hand on someone else’s shoulder.
Reimagining in Magic Editor
Photography: Joel Chokkattu
Reimagine is the latest addition to Google’s Magic Editor, which currently lets you move subjects in a photo or erase objects. This new tool lets you select an area of a photo and then a text prompt appears where you can type in what you want to see as the final result. This can be anything from changing the photo from day to night, adding stormy clouds, or, as I tried, adding a UFO over the Empire State Building.