Summary
- Google’s AI Magic Editor is now available on more phones, offering advanced editing features beyond simple object removal.
- Pixel users get unlimited access to Magic Editor, while others are limited to 10 saved edits per month without Google One Premium.
- Google’s quick rollout of advanced AI features like Magic Editor may outshine competitors, offering a powerful editing tool for all users.
There’s no question that artificial intelligence has been in the news a lot more than ever before in the last year, especially after Google launched (rebranded, more like) Gemini. Gemini brings a host of AI features to numerous apps in the Google suite, and it’s aiming to become the primary digital assistant on Android phones. While we’re still questioning Gemini’s role as a Google Assistant replacement, Google has been working on AI features across its product line for years. In October 2023, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launched, and along with it came a cool new picture editing feature called Magic Editor in Google Photos. It originally only launched for Pixel 8 users, but it is now showing up on many other phones.
Google’s AI Magic Editor is coming to all devices for free, but there’s a catch
Pixel users get full access, but everyone else only gets 10 saves
Users who have updated to the latest version of Google Photos (6.85) and are on any semi-recent Google Pixel or Samsung phone should start to see Magic Editor available to them (via 9to5Google). It is reportedly also showing up on phones from other manufacturers as well as on Apple iPhones. For users on Google Pixel phones, using Magic Editor will be free with no limit to how many photos they can edit and save. For owners of phones by Samsung, Apple, or other manufacturers, they will be limited to only 10 edited and saved photos using Magic Editor per month unless they’ve subscribed to Google One Premium.
The Magic of the Editor
Many who have used Google Photos in recent times have probably checked out the Magic Eraser tool that removes items or objects, like trash cans or random people, from pictures. Magic Editor is much more than that; think of it like Magic Eraser on steroids. Among other things, you can reframe photos, remove unwanted objects, move objects entirely, and change weather conditions with the tool. We originally talked about Google’s announcement that more phones would gain access to Magic Editor in May, and just weeks later, practically all smartphone users can now access it. Even for Google, that’s quick.
Google may not have been first to the draw with this AI feature, but it certainly is getting a lot right quickly. Samsung launched its own AI-powered camera features with the Galaxy S24 series, with options to “magically” edit photos aplenty and features like Live Translate getting a lot of hype. What has gotten the opposite of hype, however, has been OnePlus’ version of Magic Eraser. Users who either don’t have a Google Pixel phone or simply don’t want to use Google Photos can download other apps on the Play Store to serve as Magic Eraser alternatives, like Snapseed or Adobe Lightroom.