A developer has released a modified version of the Google Pixel's camera software, allowing users to install the app into other Android smartphones.
The camera of the Pixel is one of its major selling points. While the mod will not bring the complete capabilities of the Pixel camera to another Android device, it will help in significantly improving the quality of pictures that the smartphone takes.
Google Pixel Camera App For Other Android Devices
The developer behind the modified Google Pixel camera app, who is known as B-S-G, uploaded the software to help improve the camera quality of various Android smartphones.
The modified Google Pixel camera software, however, is not for all Android devices. To be able to use the app, the smartphone will need to be powered by either Snapdragon 820, Snapdragon 821, or Snapdragon 835 processor of Qualcomm.
Upon installing the app, users will enable the HDR+ mode on the Android device. The mode, which allows users to take high dynamic range photos, reduces the blur and fills in missing detail to create shots that are among the best in the industry. The HDR+ mode provides the biggest boost when taking pictures with dark shadows and bright highlights, especially if the software of the Android smartphone is rather mediocre.
Does The Mod Keep Its Promise?
The Google Pixel camera app port was tested by XDA on a variety of Android devices, namely the LG G6, the OnePlus 3, the OnePlus 3T, the OnePlus 5, and the Samsung Galaxy S8. In all cases, the software worked, with a clear difference in the quality of pictures after processing was completed.
It should be noted that the software was designed to work with the Google Pixel's hardware, so the mod will not convert the camera of other Android smartphone into one as good as what is on the Google Pixel.
XDA also investigated the code of the app just to make sure that there is no hidden malware, and the software turned out to be a clean one. Discovered in the code are references to Muskie, a rumored Pixel device that has since been shelved, as well as Google Pixel XL 2. This likely means that B-S-G is tricking the Google Camera app to think that it is running on the next-generation of Pixel smartphones, instead of on a current Android smartphone.
It is unclear how long the app will be available, considering that it is not approved by Google. What the mod shows, however, is that the camera software of Google could definitely help other Android smartphones and not just its own Pixel line.
