Google Pixel 3: Camera 6.2 update adds AI-based kiss detection feature

Google Pixel 3 has a new camera mode, ‘Photobooth’ that takes selfies when people kiss. It also identifies the notorious ‘duck face’.

Google Pixel 3 updated with new ‘Photobooth’ camera mode. (REUTERS)

Google Pixel 3 has one of the best smartphone cameras. Google now wants to make your selfies perfect with new camera mode called 'Photobooth'. This camera mode also comes with kiss detection.

With Photobooth Google wants users to get the perfect shutter-free selfies. Taking selfies can be difficult with the phone often being shaky resulting into a bad photo. Photobooth is a new shutter-free mode available in the Pxiel 3 camera app. Once you tap the shutter button, Pixel 3 will detect when the phone is steady and take a selfie.

Google says that Photobooth also detects when the subjects "have good expressions with their eyes open". What's more interesting is that Photobooth can detect kisses! "Kiss a loved one, and the camera will automatically capture it," Google says in its blog post.

Google explains the entire mechanism behind the software to make selfies fun and interesting. The most important aspect of Photobooth was detecting when two people are kissing without facing the camera. Google managed to do so by training a neural network to identify facial expressions. Photobooth can capture selfies for facial expressions like smiles, tongue-out, kissy/duck face, puffy-cheeks and surprise.

Google also uses Image Content Model of Google Clips to focus on kissing. Google Clips, a tiny smart camera launched last February at $249 uses dedicated AI to capture "important moments" in people's lives.

Photobooth is one of the few software-based camera features Google has launched. Just last year, Google introduced 'Night Sight' for low-light photography. Using a single camera and advanced software, Night Sight manages to take photos in pitch dark environments. Google Pixel 3's Portrait Mode is also one of the best on a smartphone camera.