I'm a Die-Hard Apple Fan, but These 5 Android Features Make Me Jealous Quick Links Google Magic Editor vs. Apple Clean Up: On-Device Photo Editing Showdown Scenario 1: Removing a Fire Extinguisher Behind a Christmas Stall Scenario 2: Removing the Main Subject From an Image Scenario 3: Erasing People in Front of a Church Which Object Remover Tool Is Superior?
Despite it being the latest crazy, AI use in smartphones is still limited. For now, the option to remove unwanted objects from images is one of the most common and most appreciated. To see which solution does this better, I put Apple's Clean Up feature on iPhone against Google's Magic Editor.
Google Magic Editor vs. Apple Clean Up: On-Device Photo Editing Showdown
Since the introduction of the Google Pixel 6 series in 2021, the popularity of the object eraser photo editing tool has grown significantly. Major smartphone brands like Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, and even services like Canva now offer this functionality. In fact, Magic Editor is accessible on any device using the Google Photos app. However, most implementations rely on cloud-based AI, and uploading photos to the cloud understandably raises privacy concerns.
A standout feature of both the Google Pixel 9 series (our review) and Apple's iPhone 16 series is that they offer this functionality on-device. Google's Magic Editor and Apple's Clean Up work offline, meaning your photos never leave your device. My findings below used these devices for the most updated comparison.
It's worth noting that while Apple Intelligence improved in iOS 18.2, the feature is still in beta. However, for the purposes of this comparison, I have used the same version of Apple Clean Up that is available in the latest iOS 18.2 stable version.
In the galleries below, the first photo is the original, followed by the iPhone's Clean Up photo, with the Google Magic Editor photo last.
Scenario 1: Removing a Fire Extinguisher Behind a Christmas Stall Close
To begin, I started with something simple: a scene from a Christmas market in Mumbai, India, featuring a stall selling Christmas-themed ice cream. However, a fire extinguisher in the background spoils the festive vibe. I used Magic Editor and Clean Up to remove the out-of-focus fire extinguisher, and I'd say Google's Magic Eraser performed better.
Magic Editor removed the fire extinguisher effectively while preserving the shadow and details of the wooden wall. In contrast, Clean Up struggled, blending parts of the concrete floor into the wooden wall area.
Scenario 2: Removing the Main Subject From an Image Close
These object remover tools are typically used for eliminating side or unnecessary objects from a frame, but what if you need to remove the main subject? This demonstration explores that scenario. In this image, I placed an owl-like statue on a white sofa with a pink cushion in the background, then removed the owl. The results from Magic Editor and Apple Clean Up are intriguing.
In this case, I'd argue that Apple's Clean Up tool performed better. The removal was cleaner, with better blending and fewer visible artifacts -- though it did preserve some shadows on the left side. On the other hand, Magic Editor struggled, leaving the cushion and the area where the owl sat with a smudged, disorganized effect.
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In this shot of a boat on a lake, Magic Editor delivered a significantly better result. While Apple Clean Up successfully removed the boat, Magic Editor not only removed it but also blended the area seamlessly and removed the shadow from the lake.
Scenario 3: Erasing People in Front of a Church Close
This shot, taken in the streets of Pescara, Italy, showcases the architecture of a historic church. The original image features a mildly busy street with a few people standing in front of the entrance, some on the sides, and a few bikes. After comparing the results, I'd argue that Magic Editor performed better here.
While the iPhone produced a clearer result, it missed key details, such as completely removing the stairs in front of the church, leaving the man on the left, and cutting off the bottom part of the streetlight on the right. Magic Editor also struggled with the staircase but retained the bottom of the streetlight and removed the man on the left.
Which Object Remover Tool Is Superior?
Considering each scenario, Google Magic Editor comes out on top. While Apple's Clean Up tool is slightly easier to use -- you need to dig into the tools section of the photo editor in Google Photos to find Magic Editor -- and often produces aesthetically pleasing results, its accuracy isn't always consistent.
I generally found Magic Editor's results better (often amazed at how well it removed objects) since it factors in the surroundings of the object being removed. That said, for a beta tool, Apple Clean Up performs remarkably well. It's impressive how quickly Apple has caught up, already delivering on-device results of this quality.
Still, as with most AI tools, object removing tools also remain finicky -- results varied each time I used Clean Up or Magic Editor on both devices. But the bottom line is that it's amazing to have these tools available at your fingertips -- something completely unimaginable not long ago.
