Apple Introduces AI Photo Editor in iOS 18.1 & macOS 15.1
August 29, 2024
Apple has unveiled a groundbreaking feature called "Clean Up" in the latest developer betas for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1 Sequoia. This innovative tool, which allows users to seamlessly remove unwanted objects from their photos, leverages advanced artificial intelligence to make photo editing more intuitive and powerful.
The Clean Up feature is Apple's answer to Google's popular Magic Eraser, a tool available in Google Photos. Like Magic Eraser, Clean Up enables users to remove objects from images with a simple tap. However, Apple's implementation goes a step further by ensuring that the removed objects, along with their shadows and reflections, are intelligently replaced with a background that maintains the overall integrity of the photo. This results in a more natural and realistic finish, as if the unwanted element was never there.
The Clean Up feature is designed to be user-friendly, offering smart detection capabilities that allow users to identify and remove objects with just a tap. For those who want more control over the editing process, the feature also includes options to circle or brush over unwanted elements. This flexibility gives users the power to perfect their photos according to their vision.
Moreover, Clean Up is compatible with every image in the user’s camera roll, including those taken with older iPhones, iPads, or even DSLRs. The feature can handle finer details when zooming in, ensuring that even the smallest imperfections can be edited out without compromising the quality of the photo.
The introduction of Clean Up is part of Apple's broader strategy to enhance their software with AI-powered features. Earlier in July, the company rolled out the first set of Apple Intelligence features with the iOS 18.1 developer beta. These included tools for writing, notification summaries, natural language search, and more, all aimed at improving user experience through artificial intelligence.
Currently, the Clean Up tool is available exclusively to developers testing the third beta of iOS 18.1 on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Other devices running iOS 18 developer beta do not yet have access to this feature, leading to speculation about whether Clean Up will remain exclusive to newer models or eventually roll out to other iPhones.
Why this update matters for privacy-conscious users
The introduction of AI-powered tools like Clean Up in Apple's latest iOS update isn't just about enhancing your photos—it also raises important considerations for privacy-conscious users. By integrating more advanced AI features directly into your device, Apple continues to reduce the need for third-party apps, which often require access to your personal data. This means that when you use Clean Up to edit your photos, your images remain secure and private within Apple's ecosystem, without being uploaded to external servers for processing.