Google just dropped a new AI camera update — and you don’t need a new Pixel 9 for it

Google has an AI update for its Magnifier app that's geared towards people with low vision. And the best part is you don't need a new Pixel 9 to use it.

Magnifier is an app was released last year as an accessibility tool that works with Pixel cameras to magnify text, details, and zoom in on distant objects. As of Tuesday, it has been updated with AI-powered capabilities to make gathering visual information easier.

The Made by Google event mostly focused on hardware, unveiling the Pixel 9 series, the Pixel Watch 3, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2, with a deep integration of AI-powered features for the new devices. However, not everything Google launched yesterday required a new gadget. Magnifier is available for Pixel 5 and newer.

With the Magnifier update, users can now search for text within the camera view for things like looking up specific dishes on a menu, finding flight information on those big airport screens.

The app also has a new picture-in-picture format, so you can take a picture of a certain aspect of something you're viewing and keep that image on the screen as you continue to scan. The example Google gives is browsing a deli counter while also looking at the menu. You can also choose different lens settings within the app, like the macro zoom or wide angle. The Selfie Illumination feature automatically lights up the selfie camera, so that plus macro zoom is a useful combination for doing makeup.

While the app was designed with the low-vision community in mind, it's a useful app for just about everyone. Luckily, you don't have to upgrade your device to access the Magnifier update. The app update is available on Google Play.