Copilot+ PCs are about to get another exclusive feature on Windows 11

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What you need to know

  • Copilot+ PCs will soon support super resolution within the Photos app on Windows 11.
  • Microsoft started testing the feature among Windows Insiders this week.
  • Super resolution can enhance and enlarge images up to 8x, allowing people to print large copies of images or zoom in on photos without dropping picture quality.
  • Microsoft is also testing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) within the Photos app.

As a seasoned tech enthusiast with years of experience under my belt, I must say that these latest updates to the Photos app on Windows 11 are nothing short of impressive. The addition of super resolution and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a game-changer, especially for those who value high-quality images and text recognition capabilities.

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As a researcher, I’m excited to share that soon, the AI capabilities of Copilot+ will be integrated with PCs, allowing us to significantly improve and expand images using the Windows 11 Photos app. A groundbreaking feature called Super Resolution is currently undergoing testing among Windows Insiders across all channels. This Super Resolution technology leverages the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) of a PC to magnify images up to eight times their original resolution, offering a more vivid and detailed visual experience.

Microsoft explains that super resolution significantly enhances poor quality images, making them suitable for big printouts or screen presentations, and allows for close-up views without sacrificing overall image sharpness.

In the Photos Editor, accessible by clicking the “Edit” button when viewing an image, you can find the super-resolution tool. This allows you to adjust the level of enlargement for your image. Once in the editor, you’ll be able to see the projected resolution after the upscaling process has been applied, as shown by the Photos app.

To fully understand its performance, we need to test it ourselves. However, based on a demo provided by Microsoft, it appears quite promising.

Currently, all the Copilot+ PCs available for purchase are powered by Snapdragon X processors, like the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus. However, this is set to change as AMD and Intel processors are anticipated to gain access to Copilot+ AI capabilities later in 2021. Among these will be AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series chips based on the Zen 5 architecture and Intel’s latest Core Ultra Series 2 mobile chips, which will support AI tools such as Windows Recall, Live Captions, and Cocreator.

In the upcoming version of the Photos app on Windows 11, there will be Optical Character Recognition (OCR) functionality included. This means that Windows Insiders can start testing this feature now. The OCR tool is designed to identify text within images and make it possible for you to easily copy that text onto your computer’s clipboard. Whether you’re working with documents, notes, or screenshots, the OCR feature supports over 160 languages.

Microsoft also shipped a small handful of other fixes and improvements to the Photos app:

  • In response to user feedback, we are launching single-click support in the Gallery. With this update, you can now open individual images with a single click to make navigation more efficient. If double clicking is your preference, it will still work the same as before.
  • Enhancements to the Zoom feature now include large images automatically resizing to fit within the Viewer window and improved synchronization between the zoom slider and the zoom selection display.
  • We implemented bug fixes for the Image creator and Restyle image features on Copilot+ PCs to improve overall quality.

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2024-10-23 15:39