Samsung’s new AI photo features turn Galaxy phones into professional-looking DSLR cameras

Samsung has launched two new AI features in its Galaxy Enhance-X photo editing app, including “Focus Shift” that mimics professional DSLR-style depth of field effects with a simple tap. These features are currently exclusive to Samsung phones running One UI 8, giving users another compelling reason to upgrade to the latest software version.

What you should know: The Galaxy Enhance-X app version 16.0.01.8 introduces two AI-powered photo enhancement tools designed to bring professional-quality editing to smartphone users.

• Focus Shift allows users to tap anywhere on a photo to bring that area into sharper focus while blurring the background, creating the shallow depth-of-field look typically associated with DSLR cameras.
• Crop & Upscale uses AI to increase photo resolution by up to 5x, providing more control than previous versions with resolution presets ranging from 1x to 5x magnification.

Why this matters: Samsung is positioning AI-powered photo editing as a key differentiator for its premium devices, making professional-quality photo enhancements accessible through simple one-tap controls.

The bigger picture: Originally launched in 2022, Galaxy Enhance-X already includes tools for removing blur and reflections, reducing moire patterns, and brightening low-light shots.

• These new additions aim to transform the app into a comprehensive one-tap professional editor, competing with standalone photo editing applications.
• The exclusive availability on One UI 8 devices creates an incentive for Samsung users to upgrade their software, potentially driving adoption of the company’s latest features.

Key details: Focus Shift is particularly well-suited for portrait photography and product shots, where selective focus can dramatically improve visual impact.

• The enhanced Crop & Upscale feature should prove especially useful for improving older, lower-quality images or enabling users to zoom into photos without significant quality loss.
• The update is currently rolling out exclusively to Samsung devices running One UI 8, with no timeline announced for broader availability.