The Pixel 9 is Google’s greatest assault on the iPhone to date. Google is making the most of two Apple weaknesses which can be instantly obvious.
First, Apple Intelligence is late to the sport, and it’s not even going to be launched subsequent month. Apple’s AI will come to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Professionals by way of an iOS 18.1 replace that shall be out there someday down the highway.
Extra importantly, the overwhelming majority of iPhone fashions is not going to assist Apple Intelligence. Except you may have an iPhone 15 Professional or Professional Max, you possibly can’t use Apple’s new iPhone AI until you improve your older iPhone to a brand new iPhone 16 mannequin.
This creates the right storm, and Google thinks the Pixel 9 can exploit it. That’s why the Pixel 9 was launched forward of schedule in August, with Android 15 not even getting a name-check on the launch occasion.
Additionally, Google made positive all of its present Gemini AI options had been prepared for the Pixel 9, together with new picture era capabilities that turned out to be unimaginable in real-life testing. They’re so good that I already assume Google has a Pixel 9 AI downside to repair. And I actually hope that Apple doesn’t have the identical downside with the iPhone 16 telephones coming in September.
I already wasn’t a fan of what Google was doing with its Magic Editor on Android. However Google took issues to a brand new stage with the Reimagine characteristic. As Pixel 9 opinions have proven, the most recent Google telephones make it very simple to insert all kinds of objects in pictures.
That sounds very cool till you understand how simple it’s for the Common Joe With Malicious Intentions to create imagery that may manipulate public opinion.
Certain, you could possibly all the time create such pictures with photograph modifying software program like Photoshop earlier than the Pixel 9. Nevertheless it took much more coaching and time to do it. Now, you possibly can develop faux pictures in real-time with none coaching. You simply have to inform Gemini AI what you need, and it’ll ship in a number of seconds. As soon as that’s performed, the faux pictures may be simply disseminated on-line.
Folks on the receiving finish of those AI-made Pixel 9 images is not going to all the time be capable of inform that the content material they acquired is faux. The AI-generated pictures shouldn’t have clear markings to tell the person. And I’m positive these markings might be eliminated with ease.
I’ll remind you that I’ve used related photo-editing options on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The Fold 6 has the identical AI capabilities as the brand new Flip. You possibly can create convincing fakes with Galaxy AI as effectively. It’s not simply Google that’s doing it.
However the Pixel 9’s image-generation capability is the speak of the city proper now. Individuals are apprehensive the Pixel 9 can assist smash the web, and rightly so. We’ll should query every thing, particularly if Google is profitable and sells a boatload of Pixel 9 items. Once more, that’s the purpose of launching the Pixel 9 telephones so early.
Again to Apple, the iPhone maker shunned matching most Magic Editor options with Apple Intelligence. You possibly can take away individuals and objects from images, however that’s all Apple confirmed at WWDC. I appreciated it on the time.
I’d anticipate Apple to indicate off a number of new Apple Intelligence options through the iPhone 16 occasion. These options is likely to be unique to the iPhone 16, as Apple AI will doubtless be an enormous promoting level.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see if Apple engages on this explicit struggle with Google, Samsung, and different smartphone distributors. That’s if Apple makes it equally trivial to create faux images on the iPhone with the assistance of AI.
I can see why Apple would wish to do it, and it’s the identical motive why Google is doing it. This kind of functionality proves you’re innovating within the AI business, that your generative AI is nice at, effectively, producing stuff. It’s not nearly producing textual content but additionally pictures and movies.
However hopefully, Apple will discover methods to mark AI-edited pictures clearly so any viewer will perceive they’re faux images. Or Apple will stick to modifying powers that received’t match the Pixel 9 talents. Apple may all the time demo a superior picture era instrument to indicate it may well do it after which say the characteristic is not going to be out there in Apple Intelligence.
Once more, anyone can create faux pictures with all kinds of software program, together with Gemini and Apple Intelligence opponents. However telephones just like the Pixel 9 make it even simpler, as all that tech sits inside your pocket or purse. Additionally, do not forget that Reimagine is a characteristic Google unveiled for the Pixel 9 telephones. However Google may all the time embrace it within the Google Images app out there on all Android telephones down the highway.
