Cool Pixel 6a photography feature coming to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro this week

One of the great new features of the Pixel 6 series is the Magic Eraser. This is the feature that can remove unwanted people and things from your photos thanks to the AI capabilities of Google’s Tensor chipset. As a Pixel 6 Pro user, this writer can confirm how well this feature works, although sometimes it leaves an artifact that you can see when you zoom in.

However, we can expect that Google will keep improving Magic Eraser and it will get better over time. One thing that Google has done, and this is readily available on the new Pixel 6a, is adding a new feature called Camouflage. This is also intended for use on unwanted people and things that appear in your photos. But instead of making them disappear, the Pixel 6a changes the color and shade of the intruding object so it doesn’t distract from the subject of the photo.

Camouflage gives the distracting turquoise stool in the background a less noticeable color

Camouflage works best in situations where a brightly colored object in the background distracts from the subject of your photo. Because the item is so brightly colored, it may not be a good candidate for Magic Eraser. Instead, using Camouflage will change the color to something less noticeable.

For example, The edge shows a photo of a child sitting in a high chair with a turquoise stool in the background. That color is a bit too distracting for many, and Magic Eraser probably wouldn’t manage to make it go away. But with Camouflage, the stool has a less vibrant color and is less noticeable.

Find a photo with a disturbing color in the background to use Camouflage. At the bottom of the screen, tap edit and scroll the bottom bar to the left to find Tools. On the bar above Tools tap Magic Eraser and you have two choices: Gum and Camouflage. Gum is the default option, so click Camouflage. If the lead item is not automatically selected by the phone, you can zoom in and outline the lead by drawing a circle around it.

Areas missed can go through the process again. Bright vibrant colors are replaced by gray or other dull colors of the background.

Pre-order the Google Pixel 6a with Camouflage

Now if you own the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, you’re probably wondering why Google would include this new feature on its cheaper Pixel 6a instead of having it ready for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. You’re spitting crazy, ready to call Google and tell me how you feel. Except this is there. Google has told The Verge that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will get Camouflage via an update to be released on Thursday, July 28, the day the Pixel 6a is released.