Google prepares to bring Pixel 9 exclusive features to older Pixels (APK breakdown)

Google Pixel 9 Pro Magic Editor in a new version

Ryan Haines/Android Authority

In short

Google may soon bring Pixel 9-exclusive editing features to older Pixel phones.
We’ve spotted evidence suggesting that Reimagine and Auto Frame, two new Magic Editor features, could soon be coming to Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel 8 series phones.

Every new Google flagship phone almost always comes with some exclusive features that eventually make their way to older Pixel phones. The Pixel 9 series is no exception. It offers some cool camera and editing features like Add Me, Video Boost with Night Sight, and more. Among them are two new Magic Editor features called Auto Frame and Reimagine. The former automatically frames the selected subject, even if it requires AI-enhancing the image, while the latter lets you change the background. Now, Google seems to be getting ready to bring these two new editing features to older Pixel phones.

Some APK Demolition helps predict features that might appear in the service in the future based on code in the works. However, it is possible that such predicted features will not be released publicly.

Android Power collaborator Debugging assembly found evidence in the Google Photos app suggesting that Reimagine and Auto Frame will be coming to older Pixel models, including the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel 8 series.

The tipster explains that there are three versions of the Google Photos app with different configurations.

For all Android devices (not Pixel)
For Pixel phones released in 2021–2023 (Pixel 6 and newer)
For Pixels launched in 2024 (Pixel 9)

The Google Photos app for Pixels from 2024, i.e. the Pixel 9 series, naturally has all the code strings related to the Reimagine and Auto Frame features. Now, these code strings also appear in the latest version of the Google Photos app (6.99) for Pixels, which launched between 2021 and 2023, indicating that Google could be working on bringing the Reimagine and Auto Frame features to its older flagships.

Meanwhile, the standard version of the Google Photos app for non-Pixel devices does not include these snippets, suggesting that these features are not yet ready to roll out to all Android devices and will remain exclusive to Pixel phones for now.

It’s unclear when older Pixels will receive the new Magic Editor features. We assume Google will introduce them in a future Feature Drop.