When the Google Pixel 6 debuted, it brought a new feature in the form of Magic Eraser, which lets you use AI to remove unwanted background objects in photos, and the Pixel 6a took it a step further with Camouflage mode. It turns out that this expanded mode is now coming to earlier Pixel 6 devices.
When the Google Pixel 6a goes on sale on July 28, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will receive an update that brings Camouflage mode – confirmed for On the edge (opens in new tab) by a Google spokesperson.
The camouflage mode in Magic Eraser doesn’t remove an unwanted object, but adjusts the colors so that it’s not as obvious, often eliminating saturation. This method is not as prone to failure as the standard AI-powered Magic Eraser mode, which can often leave noticeable smears when the AI fails to resolve what should be in the background.
This new mode coming to Pixel 6 devices should give owners of these older phones an extra camera tool to play with, and it’s another in a long line of updates Google has given to its flagship phones.
Review: Making the Pixel 6 an Even More Tempting Purchase
In our review of the Google Pixel 6a, we pointed out that a year of price cuts for the Pixel 6 has made the older phone roughly similar in price to the newest – despite the Pixel 6a being ostensibly a budget version.
And with the Pixel 6a’s features coming to the Pixel 6, there’s all the more reason to opt for the older top phone over its budget alternative.
That’s as long as the price of the Google Pixel 6a remains stable after launch – when ‘cheap’ phones like this are overpriced at launch, we often see companies slash prices quickly after only a month or so on sale. So maybe later in the year we’ll see the Pixel 6 get a more tempting price tag.
So far, though, the Google Pixel 6 is by far the better phone of the two.