Google's Pixel Phones Get a Zoom Enhance Feature: Does It Live Up to the Hype?
During the Pixel 9 series launch, Google unveiled its new AI-powered "Zoom Enhance" feature, designed to improve the quality of zoomed-in photos. But how does it work, and does it live up to the hype?
Unlike previous Pixel phones that relied on software to improve digital zoom in real-time, Zoom Enhance works after a photo is captured. When a user zooms into a saved image, the feature kicks in to enhance its quality.
In a blog post, Google explains: "Zoom Enhance intelligently fills in the gaps between pixels and predicts fine details for high-quality zoom results after you’ve taken a photo. It will be available on Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and is rolling out to Pixel 8 Pro starting today."
However, initial reactions to Zoom Enhance have been mixed. A journalist from The Verge, after testing the feature, was left unimpressed, stating that the results "weren't anything to write home about." The sentiment echoes the same publication's response to Zoom Enhance's initial announcement last year, where they humorously compared it to a cliché movie scene where a "hacker" magically generates a detailed image from a handful of pixels.
So, while Google touts Zoom Enhance as a game-changer for smartphone photography, it seems the jury's still out on whether it truly delivers groundbreaking results.