It was just after sunset. The only light came from the starry sky and the last streak of the fading sunlight. I was on the edge of Icy Lake, our designated campsite at Yellowstone National Park and yet I captured a stunning image with a smartphone camera. That was a few months ago with the Google Pixel 7 Pro’s Night Sight feature. Google has upped its game all over again with the new Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Google calls this the generative AI-era smartphone. The Google Pixel 8 Pro comes with a triple rear cam with upgraded lenses. The ultra-wide lens delivers better Macro Focus while the telephoto lens captures 56 per cent more light. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned after using Google Pixel smartphones since 2017 (and the Pixel 2), it’s to never judge a Pixel with its hardware spec sheet.
Google Pixel 8 series
Generative AI will go down as one of the buzzwords of 2023. In simple terms it refers to models or algorithms that create brand-new output from the vast data they’re trained on. Google’s multiple camera smarts are part of the brand’s Generative AI push. Google also announced that the Pixel 8 twins will soon feature Google Assistant with Bard that will make its digital assistant even smarter. It’s the camera features that have our attention and showcase the power of AI. These are some of the cool AI-enabled features that we checked out:
Night Sight and now Night Sight Video
Another view of sunset captured by Google Pixel 7 Pro’s Night Sight feature at Yellowstone National Park
I first used Night Sight on Google’s Pixel 3 about 4 years ago. Now Google brings its low-light camera solution to video capture too. Night Sight leaned heavily on AI and machine learning by combining multiple shots to reduce the shake and also ensuring colour stays in balance. Google’s Night Sight solution also reduces blur for a sharper low-light image. The Night Sight solution also uses AI to rebalance colour, one reason why my night images at Yellowstone looked closer to the actual scene. There were some images where the only light source was a campfire and other images shot in complete darkness. The Pixel 8 Pro now adds Night Sight Video with Video Boost that enhances every frame of a video that you capture in low light. Video Boost will drop later this year. It adjusts colour, lighting, stabilisation and graininess for truer to life videos.
Audio Magic Eraser and Magic Eraser
There’s nothing more satisfying than eliminating photo bombers to create the perfect image
The Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro didn’t make it to India. We first checked out the Magic Eraser feature on the Pixel 6a. It’s got better with each device. There’s nothing more satisfying than eliminating photo bombers to create the perfect image. Now Google adds magic eraser to videos with a cool Audio magic eraser feature. It splits the video file into multiple audio segments and erases sections of the background audio for the perfect video. Whether it’s a baby wailing in the background or traffic sounds that interrupt your perfect video memory, you can scrub it all out.
Best take
Think of all those group pictures that get ruined because of one person making a face or closing their eyes. It’s almost always that same friend. Best take fixes that. The Pixel cam captures facial expressions even before you hit the shutter button. The AI solution offers to replace the bad face with the best possible shot. It’s mighty convenient and almost borders on creepy
Photo unblur
Another feature that we first tried on the Google Pixel 6a and gets better with time. Think of those childhood pictures or images shot with your first smartphone camera from the 2010s. The Pixel cam can fix these images (also shot on other phones) with a unique unblur feature that makes them clearer and creates endearing memories.
Magic Editor
ATV Rides near Las Vegas shot on the Pixel 2 in 2017
In May 2023 Sundar Pichai (CEO of Google) revealed that 1.7 billion images are edited on Google Photos every month. He revealed this number while sharing the new Magic Editor feature that will allow you to make complex edits on Google Photos on your Pixel phone. You can also edit images shot on other devices. This will use a combination of AI techniques to alter parts of an image – think of the sky or the background or even the subject, so you have more control of the final look of your photo. This does raise questions around whether you would like a real memory or a version of the memory that looks prettier.
Zoom enhance
It was expected to arrive by the end of the year. This AI-enabled feature allows you to pinch, zoom and enhance an image you’ve already shot. Zoom Enhance works within Google Photos and allows you to upscale your images with AI.
The Google Pixel 8 costs Rs 75,999/128GB & Rs 82,999/256GB. The Google Pixel 8 Pro costs Rs 1,06,999/128GB
