Better-quality video recording could be coming to Android smartphones thanks to a new software upgrade from Google that will give apps like Instagram, Snapchat and Adobe Lightroom access to new camera features.
The upgrade comes in the form of a new Eyes Free videography Camera2 extension that allows third-party apps to lock on to and stabilize selected objects in view. This extension could come to compatible smartphones as part of Google’s forthcoming Android 15 update, says Android Authority.
Third-party photography apps such as Adobe Lightroom or MotionCam Pro can bring a wealth of extended features and quality improvements to Android-based cameras. However, they often can’t access many of the smartphone’s built-in camera capabilities, which can sometimes result in missing out on advanced features such as portrait mode effects, HDR image capture and Night Mode, all of which can be provided via Camera2 extensions if the device enables them.
The same is true of popular social media apps such as Instagram or Snapchat, where the in-app camera won’t give you access to important camera features, like switching to the ultra-wide lens.
Camera2 currently supports only photos, but the new Eyes Free videography extension will expose video capabilities to third-party camera apps for the first time.
According to the report, the Eyes Free videography extension carries the description “aims to lock and stabilize a given region or object of interest.” Third-party camera apps will be able to access the Eyes Free function on any smartphone that supports Camera2 extensions.
Unfortunately, not all Android smartphones support Camera2 extensions. However, Google is also implementing a new “allow camera software extensions” switch that will allow apps to access these features even without explicit support from the smartphone manufacturer.
These upgrades could result in more feature-rich camera apps with higher-quality photo and video output in a broader range of Android smartphones when Android 15 launches later this year.
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