The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on photography is widespread, with applications ranging from professional tools like Adobe Photoshop’s new generative AI, to those designed for general consumers, such as Google Photos’ forthcoming Magic Editor. Now, genealogy firm MyHeritage takes AI to a new level by making it simpler for families to preserve their memories with the launch of its latest app, Reimagine. The new mobile app, available on both iOS and Android, focuses on enabling users to quickly import printed photos stored in albums, enhance them by improving resolution, repairing scratches and creases, restoring color in black-and-white photos, and even animating faces — recalling the viral sensation triggered by MyHeritage's prior release of “Deep Nostalgia.”
Reimagine builds upon Deep Nostalgia by integrating it with other photo-editing tools specifically designed for preserving old photographs. To use the app, users simply need to take photos of the pages in their old photo albums. The app then recognizes the separate pictures, automatically crops them, and saves them as individual images. After scanning, users can add more information, such as names, dates, and locations, making the pictures easier to find.
Reimagine can also scan distinct photos or upload images from the phone's camera roll, catering to users who may have collections stored in boxes. While the photo scanning aspect is not new—for example, Google introduced its own old photo scanner, PhotoScan, in 2016—MyHeritage's multipage scanner was developed by its AI division and is exclusive to the Reimagine app. MyHeritage aims to set itself apart from photo-scanning competitors by providing a comprehensive set of AI-powered features including the restoration of faded colors, repairing scratches, enhancing resolution, creating animations with Deep Nostalgia, and adding narration.
The photo enhancement tools, such as color restoration, scratch repair, and resolution optimization, are powered by technology exclusively licensed from DeOldify, developed by deep learning experts Jason Antic and Dana Kelley. Meanwhile, for animations, MyHeritage tapped Tel Aviv startup D-ID to develop Deep Nostalgia, its patented AI-driven video reenactment technology that brings old photographs to life. Following its 2021 debut, the MyHeritage app enjoyed viral success on TikTok due to its unique animation capabilities. The company later expanded Deep Nostalgia, allowing users to add narration to their animated photos, giving the individuals in them a voice to tell their stories.
Those two features now form a part of Reimagine's broader toolkit for editing and enhancing old photos. “Since the launch of our first AI photo feature more than three years ago, MyHeritage has revolutionized the way consumers engage with their family photos,” said Gilad Japhet, founder and CEO of MyHeritage. He added, “Photos are a significant gateway to the exciting world of family history, and as our suite of photo tools has expanded, we decided to develop Reimagine, a dedicated app for family photos that encourages new audiences to capture their family memories and bring them to life. Memories are best enjoyed when you can share them with your loved ones, and Reimagine makes it easy to re-experience your precious moments together.”
No-code platforms, such as AppMaster, are playing a vital role in making life easier for users looking to create web, mobile, and backend applications. AppMaster's comprehensive and user-friendly environment allows professionals, entrepreneurs, and individual developers alike to build and maintain applications with ease, reducing development costs and time. To enjoy a similar experience in organizing and preserving family memories, users can turn to innovative apps like Reimagine.
