You might want to switch to Galaxy S25 Ultra already if you have an iPhone — I’m not kidding. Samsung jumped on the AI bandwagon with Galaxy AI, introduced with the Galaxy S24 series last year. Meanwhile, Apple arrived fashionably late to the AI party, despite the industry (myself included) expecting a groundbreaking entrance with iOS 18’s Apple Intelligence — a suite of AI features launching alongside the iPhone 16 series.
Unlike Samsung, which even retrofitted some of its AI features onto the base Galaxy S23 from 2023, Apple took a different route. It left iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus users high and dry, reserving Apple Intelligence for the iPhone 15 Pro and later models, including all iPhone 16 variants. But, did Apple make up for lost time and do a better job?
Apple Intelligence’s Clean Up tool vs. Galaxy AI’s Object Eraser
Not quite. Apple’s AI features didn’t arrive at launch, and even after the wait, the results feel like a work in progress. The iPhone 16 series shipped with the promise of Apple Intelligence, but that promise remains largely unfulfilled. Take Apple’s new Clean Up tool, for example — its response to Samsung’s Galaxy AI Object Eraser. Now that direct comparisons are out (h/t @Marks_Tech), the results speak for themselves.
And, well… it’s not a good look.
Mark tested both features by removing an Apple TV Remote from a photo. Samsung’s Object Eraser handled it with precision, making it look like the remote was never there. Apple’s Clean Up tool? Let’s just say it made a mess of things.
Samsung object eraser vs iPhone lol pic.twitter.com/HnkfTMB26I
— Mark’s Tech📱 Tech Reviews – Tech News (@Marks_Tech) February 4, 2025
In another test, Mark tried removing a cup from a wooden table. Galaxy AI erased it seamlessly. Apple’s attempt, on the other hand, looked like it had been run through a blender. It’s beyond terrible. You can have a look at these pictures and let us know what you feel.
I’m dead pic.twitter.com/NCLygSrzgo
— Mark’s Tech📱 Tech Reviews – Tech News (@Marks_Tech) February 4, 2025
And let’s be clear, iPhones aren’t bad phones. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are fantastic devices in their own right. But when it comes to generative AI, Apple is, quite frankly, trailing behind. Maybe it should’ve taken a rain check on these half-baked features instead of rushing them out the door. This isn’t the Apple I grew up watching — and admiring. I’ll pull up my classic, “Steve Jobs wouldn’t have let this fly.”
