One of Google’s most talked-about Pixel 6 exclusives may not be so exclusive after all.The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are packed with exclusive features enabled by Google’s new Tensor processor. However, it appears that at least one of these new features may not be so exclusive after all.
According to former Xda Developers Editor-in-Chief, Mishaal Rahman, and backed up by several Twitter users, Google’s much-vaunted ‘Magic Eraser’ tool, which uses machine learning to automatically remove unwanted items from your photos, can be enabled on older Pixel models simply by installing an updated version of the Google Photos app (APK link).
According to the above Twitter thread, some have successfully enabled the feature on a Pixel 4a and a Pixel 3XL, and others have even enabled the feature on non-Google devices by rooting their smartphones and spoofing Pixel credentials with Pixel Props. However, others have so far failed to make the feature work.
Based on these reports, it appears Google has accidentally enabled this premium pixel 6 feature on older models. But perhaps the biggest takeaway is that the company’s much-vaunted tensor ship clearly is not required for magic erase to operate. That said, we don’t know yet whether there are any significant differences in quality when used on non-Pixel-6 devices.
It does give us hope, however, that Magic Erase might eventually see official support on other devices. It’s definitely a prime candidate for Google’s library of premium Google Photos features available to paying subscribers.
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I’ve been working as a technology journalist since the early nineties. My passion is photography and the ever-changing hardware and software that we use to create it, be it traditional cameras and Photoshop or smartphones and tablets with their numerous apps. I have also worked extensively on computing titles such as PC Magazine and Personal Computer World and managed the PCW hardware testing labs. This has seen me testing and reviewing all manner of technologies in print and on line. I take on both written and photographic assignments and you can get in touch with questions, tips or pitches via email. Find me on Instagram @paul_monckton.
Source: Google Accidentally Enables Pixel 6 Feature On Older Phones
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