TECH

Pixel Line will enhance Magic Eraser feature

With the launch of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro smartphones, Google released the Magic Eraser tool, which is primarily designed to remove unwanted objects in the background of photos. With the budget Pixel 6A release, the Magic Eraser tool will get a new Camouflage feature – it doesn't remove objects from the photo, but corrects their color so they don't draw the viewer's attention from something more important in the foreground.

In the original version, Magic Eraser works very simply: the user selects an extra object in the photo, the system analyzes its environment and, after deleting it “at its discretion”, fills the vacant space. If this object is isolated from other elements of the composition, and the resulting image is viewed on a small phone screen, the result of Magic Eraser looks quite tolerable. But when an object is superimposed on another element, the result may not be very successful: the system doesn't always "understand" how to fill the object's place and sometimes creates creepy artifacts that are even more distracting.

Just for this case, Google created the Camouflage function – the system does not try to completely remove the object, but changes its color so that it does not stand out from the background. Journalists from The Verge gave good examples of how the feature works: a bright purple cart in the back has turned faded greenish-grey and a turquoise object in another photo has instead turned purple and also merged with the rest of the background elements. Google spokesperson Matt Flegal said the new feature will be available on Pixel 6 and 6 Pro smartphones with the release of the younger Pixel 6A model on July 28.

Image source: theverge.com