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Last year, Google announced Zoom Enhance for premium Pixel devices. It seems that it took longer than expected to get the feature ready, as Pixel 8 Pro users have been waiting for it for quite some time. However, now that the Zoom Enhance rollout has already begun, a Google rep has shared some samples showing off its impressive capabilities.
Zoom Enhance is rolling out after almost a year
When Google announced Zoom Enhance for the Pixel 8 Pro, buyers probably didn’t expect that it wouldn’t arrive until after the launch of the Pixel 9 series. After all, the feature was one of the key selling points of the device. Google’s Pixel phones excel in their camera department, and Zoom Enhance would bring a new leap in picture quality.
Zoom Enhance uses the power of AI to process zoomed-in photos and recover or “recreate” their details and nuances for a sharp photo. It’s especially useful for taking pics of subjects or objects that are very far away. However, the feature is even more practical, as it’s not limited to photos taken from a Pixel Pro. You can apply the Zoom Enhance effect to any zoomed-in picture to improve its quality.
Plus, Google has made the feature work entirely on-device. That is, you won’t need internet access or upload photos to the cloud to enhance your zoomed-in photos. It’s noteworthy that Google Pixel phones already have Super Res Zoom for better photos of distant objects or subjects. So, combining the capabilities of both features can help you get the best quality possible.
First samples of Pixel Zoom Enhance’s impressive capabilities
That said, Google’s Peyman Milanfar showed off the power of Zoom Enhance by posting some samples on X. The samples include the original picture, the zoomed-in/cropped picture, and the picture processed by Zoom Enhance. It seems like the wait was worth it, as the results are pretty impressive. One of the samples shows how the feature restores the quality of a flower.
Another sample also shows that Zoom Enhance can work properly on complex elements, such as animal fur. This is a big deal, as animal fur is often a big challenge for phone cameras. The feature can help you finally get the perfect pictures or portraits of your beloved pets.
There’s another tricky situation with the edges of a long-distance bridge. The bridge railing has multiple bars, which can be difficult to capture from so far away. However, Google’s AI manages to figure it out and recreates most of the bars while restoring the detail. While there is an oil-painting effect in certain areas, it’s normal as the test pushes the capabilities of generative AI to the limit.
Zoom Enhance is available on the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro series. Sadly, users of the vanilla Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 won’t get it, although they still have Super Res Zoom.