Windows 11’s Photos app, a staple for visual manipulation and viewing, has had a bumpy ride recently, taking two steps forward with exciting new features but one big step back as a key enhancement was abruptly removed. Let’s unpack the drama unfolding in this digital scrapbook tool and how it may impact the way you use it.
Imagine taking fuzzy photos from your favorite flip-phone archives (remember those?) and watching them morph into screensaver-worthy brilliance. That’s the promise Super Resolution brings…at least, theoretically.
The rollout, however, stumbled. The feature triggered compatibility kerfuffles, most notably because it was erroneously deployed to machines lacking the required hardware acceleration. Without the horsepower of dedicated NPUs, the magic of AI fizzled rather than sizzled. Though not catastrophic, this mismatch in distribution revealed a hiccup in how Microsoft manages feature previews.
This isn’t groundbreaking tech. OCR has existed in tools like Adobe Acrobat or the Windows-exclusive OneNote, but embedding it directly into Windows’ native Photos app made it vastly more accessible to a wider user base. Unfortunately, just as quickly as it arrived, Microsoft had to pull the plug on OCR. The company cited undisclosed issues requiring immediate fixes. Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Program Manager for the Windows Insider Program, announced the rollback via social media, adding a dose of mystery to an already abrupt reversal.
Windows 11's ongoing integration of NPU-boosted features aligns with its Copilot+ initiative, targeting next-gen AI-powered PCs. But until NPUs gain more widespread adoption in consumer hardware, features like Super Resolution may face growing pains when deployed on less capable systems.
For now, Photos users are left with an app that feels promising but patchy. As part of the Windows Insider Program, features like this are expected to have their share of rough edges—but temporary removals, especially for premium functionalities like OCR, feel a tad disappointing.
As we wait for OCR to stage a comeback and Super Resolution to find its footing, keep your Photos app updated and tuned for the next major leap forward. One thing’s for sure—the future of this app is brighter than a freshly polished lens. Failure is just a stepping stone, and Microsoft, we’ll be watching closely for what’s next.
So, readers—what do you think? Are these setbacks understandable hiccups in Microsoft's risky push into AI, or does Microsoft need to clean up its process before rolling out experimental features? Let’s discuss on the forum!
Source: TweakTown Windows 11's Photos app is not having a good run lately, as another feature has been put on ice
A Tale of Two Updates: Super Resolution & OCR
1. Enter Super Resolution—Sharper, Smarter Images
Back in October, Microsoft unveiled an exciting AI-powered capability called Super Resolution in Photos for Windows Insiders. Its job? Upscale your grainy, low-quality images into something worthy of a showcase. Through the magic of Artificial Intelligence (AI), algorithms analyze and reconstruct photos to offer improved clarity, particularly useful when blowing up small images. Super Resolution leverages NPUs (Neural Processing Units) in select "Copilot+" Windows 11 PCs, designed to specialize in AI tasks.Imagine taking fuzzy photos from your favorite flip-phone archives (remember those?) and watching them morph into screensaver-worthy brilliance. That’s the promise Super Resolution brings…at least, theoretically.
The rollout, however, stumbled. The feature triggered compatibility kerfuffles, most notably because it was erroneously deployed to machines lacking the required hardware acceleration. Without the horsepower of dedicated NPUs, the magic of AI fizzled rather than sizzled. Though not catastrophic, this mismatch in distribution revealed a hiccup in how Microsoft manages feature previews.
2. Optical Character Recognition (OCR): A Keyboard for Your Photos
Fast forward to today, and the Photos app added another standout feature: Optical Character Recognition (OCR). OCR is a marvel of modern computing, enabling the app to extract text from images—be it a scanned document, a photographed whiteboard, or even a café menu. Instead of tediously typing out what’s written, OCR lets users copy and paste text directly from images, turning Photos into a productivity powerhouse.This isn’t groundbreaking tech. OCR has existed in tools like Adobe Acrobat or the Windows-exclusive OneNote, but embedding it directly into Windows’ native Photos app made it vastly more accessible to a wider user base. Unfortunately, just as quickly as it arrived, Microsoft had to pull the plug on OCR. The company cited undisclosed issues requiring immediate fixes. Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Program Manager for the Windows Insider Program, announced the rollback via social media, adding a dose of mystery to an already abrupt reversal.
What Went Wrong? Analyzing the Flaws
It’s unclear exactly what technical demons turned up in OCR or Super Resolution. However, here are some plausible contenders:- For OCR: Text detection might have struggled with complex photo scenarios, such as skewed angles, poor lighting, or decorative scripts, leading to inconsistent results.
- For Super Resolution: Based on insider reports, it was mistakenly enabled on non-Copilot+ PCs. Without the required hardware acceleration, users faced either performance slowdowns or outright feature crashes.
What is NPU Acceleration?
A key factor in Super Resolution’s issues is its reliance on an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). Think of an NPU as a specialized chip tailored for handling machine learning and AI-based tasks. Unlike traditional CPUs or GPUs which have to juggle general-purpose workloads, NPUs efficiently execute tasks like image recognition, processing neural network operations, and more.Windows 11's ongoing integration of NPU-boosted features aligns with its Copilot+ initiative, targeting next-gen AI-powered PCs. But until NPUs gain more widespread adoption in consumer hardware, features like Super Resolution may face growing pains when deployed on less capable systems.
What's Next for Photos Users?
OCR: The Comeback Scheduled…Eventually
The good news is that OCR isn’t dead—just hibernating. Microsoft has pledged its return in a future Photos update, although with the holiday freeze on new feature rollouts, users likely won’t see it again until early 2025. When it does return, we hope it resurrects stronger, capable of supporting diverse text scenarios.Super Resolution: Proceed with Caution
As for Super Resolution, its early foibles may nudge Microsoft to slow-roll similar NPU-dependent features, ensuring tighter control over deployment. This cautious wait-and-see means average users might have to exercise patience while engineers tinker in their virtual labs.Underneath It All: A Bump or Trend?
The recent hiccups hint at challenges within Microsoft's evolving AI narrative for Windows 11. Both Super Resolution and OCR reflect a greater push to make Windows more intelligent, automated, and useful. However, these incidents also expose the fragility in rolling out bleeding-edge technologies. Are we witnessing cracks in Microsoft's broader AI strategy for Windows, or are these isolated growing pains?For now, Photos users are left with an app that feels promising but patchy. As part of the Windows Insider Program, features like this are expected to have their share of rough edges—but temporary removals, especially for premium functionalities like OCR, feel a tad disappointing.
Final Thoughts: A Bright Future Awaits
Look, Windows 11’s Photos app may have stumbled, but it’s showing the kind of ambition that makes tech enthusiasts excited. Sure, OCR is on pause, and Super Resolution took a hit, but when these tools stabilize, they promise to make Windows genuinely smarter and more user-friendly for everyone from students to professionals.As we wait for OCR to stage a comeback and Super Resolution to find its footing, keep your Photos app updated and tuned for the next major leap forward. One thing’s for sure—the future of this app is brighter than a freshly polished lens. Failure is just a stepping stone, and Microsoft, we’ll be watching closely for what’s next.
So, readers—what do you think? Are these setbacks understandable hiccups in Microsoft's risky push into AI, or does Microsoft need to clean up its process before rolling out experimental features? Let’s discuss on the forum!
Source: TweakTown Windows 11's Photos app is not having a good run lately, as another feature has been put on ice