Android 15 to Offer High-Quality Mode for Webcam Feature on Google Pixel Smartphones: Report

Google is working on adding a new HQ button that will reportedly close the gap in quality compared to Apple's Continuity Camera feature for the iPhone.

Written by David Delima | Updated: 26 March 2024 13:20 IST

Android 15 to Offer High-Quality Mode for Webcam Feature on Google Pixel Smartphones: Report

Google introduced a webcam feature with the arrival of Android 14 in 2023

Highlights

Android 15 is expected to arrive in the second half of 2024
Google is set to upgrade the webcam feature introduced on Android 14
Android 15 will let users select a new HQ option in the webcam mode

Android 15 is set to arrive in the second half of 2024 with several new features in tow, and these features are expected to arrive on Google's Pixel phones, before they make their way to other Android-powered handsets. While we recently got a look at a handful of new features with the release of Android 15 Developer Preview 2 last week, the company is also reportedly working on improving a feature that lets you use your Android phone as a webcam.

According to a recent Android Authority report, the webcam feature introduced on Pixel smartphones will receive an upgrade on Android 15. The publication previously tested the webcam feature on the Pixel 8 Pro alongside Apple's Continuity Camera for iPhone models that offers the same feature and found that the latter offers far better video quality. Google could reportedly close this gap with the next version of Android.

When Android 15 arrives later this year, the webcam mode will reportedly feature a new HQ button that turns on a high-quality mode, as per the report. Unlike the default mode that has been available since Android 14, this mode is said to disable power optimisations that sacrifice video quality in order to conserve battery, resulting in improved video recorded while in webcam mode.

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It is currently unclear what impact enabling the high-quality battery will have on battery life, compared to the standard mode. Google's webcam feature only works in wired mode, so the connected USB cable could help reduce the battery drain to some extent, but users who are expecting to take longer calls might want to consider switching to the regular mode.

Support for the new high-quality mode is already enabled on the latest Android 12 DP 2 release, and users who have installed the preview on their Pixel smartphones can now test out the feature and compare it to the original mode.

Google is working on several improvements to existing features, while adding a few new ones to Android 15. These include native support for satellite connectivity, improved NFC functionality, better support for apps on foldable phones' cover screens, and support for configuring app archiving. All of these features are likely to make their way to the final release when it is released in the second half of 2024.

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Google Pixel 8 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Premium design, IP68 rating
Fun AI-infused software experience
Good quality cameras
Quality video recording
Impressive image editing software
Long-term commitment to software updates

Bad
Gets warm under load
Buggy camera app
Not made for gaming
Average battery life
Relatively slow wired charging

Read detailed Google Pixel 8 Pro review

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Google Tensor G3

Front Camera 11-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 64-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 5050mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1344x2992 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Google Pixel, Android 15, Webcam mode, Android 15 features, Android, Google

David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More