Apple’s latest ad for its new “Clean Up” feature in the Photos app is peak Apple: minimal, sharp, and a little savage.
In the spot, a man flexes in front of a mirror while a woman takes his photo. Later, he notices her reflection in the shot and erases her using Clean Up, no questions asked. It’s a funny and effective way to introduce Apple’s latest photo-editing trick.
What Is the Clean Up Feature?
Clean Up is part of Apple Intelligence, launching with iOS 18.1. It lets users remove unwanted objects or people from photos, much like Google’s Magic Eraser or Samsung’s Object Eraser. The tool uses AI to fill in the background, making it look like the removed item was never there.
Real-World Results Aren’t Always Perfect
While the ad shows a seamless edit, real-world performance is more mixed. Early testers reported that Clean Up works well for removing simple elements like background clutter or small distractions. But when it comes to more complicated scenes like, textured backgrounds or overlapping subjects, the results can vary.
To be fair, this inconsistency is common across all similar AI tools. Even Google’s well-established Magic Eraser doesn’t always get it right. These tools are impressive, but they rely on educated guesses, and sometimes they miss.
Only Available on Select iPhones
The bigger limitation is hardware. Clean Up is only available on the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 lineup. It won’t run on standard iPhone 15 or older devices, even though those phones are capable of running iOS 18. Apple says this is due to the processing demands of on-device AI, but it still feels like a frustrating boundary for many users.
A Useful Feature, But Not a Game Changer
Clean Up is a welcome addition to Apple’s photo editing lineup. It’s easy to use, can deliver impressive results, and fits naturally into Apple’s design philosophy. But it’s not flawless, and it’s certainly not revolutionary. Like all AI tools, it has limits, and for now, it’s reserved for users with Apple’s latest (and priciest) phones.
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