Google to Bring Ultra HDR Feature for Third-Party Apps on Android

A new plan by Google is set to bring joy to all users who rely on third-party Android apps for their shots, or for users who want to capture or record straight to these platforms to immediately upload. The renowned Ultra HDR feature available on the Pixel 8 series made its debut last year, and while it is widely accessible by the built-in camera app, third-party applications cannot use it.

It was said that there has been a massive comparison between Android and iOS smartphones for their quality, especially in apps, with Google addressing it now.

Google to Bring Ultra HDR for Third-Party Apps on Android

In a report by Mishaal Rahman via X, a new feature for Google is coming to bring the Ultra HDR feature on Android 14 also accessible to third-party apps to improve their output quality. It has been a long-time problem for Android users as taking photos through apps cannot bring out the best quality there is, especially as Ultra HDR is not accessible for these applications.

The high-dynamic range (HDR) is best known to be an output quality that brings improvements to photos that capture better light and crisp details.

This will be made possible via the Camera X API, and the latest Samsung with the Galaxy S24 series was the first to bring this Ultra HDR feature accessible for third-party apps.

Read Also: Android 14 is Coming to More than 50 Samsung Galaxy Devices-Here's the Release Schedule

Ultra HDR to be Accessible via CameraX API

Through the CameraX API, apps taking photos or videos will be allowed to output the media via the new JPEG_R format used for Ultra HDR, exclusively available for Android 14.

JPEG_R is a new type of JPEG file format that has a gainmap in its metadata says Rahman, and through this, the HDR version of the image can be rendered on HDR displays, capturing its quality. The same goes for the SDR version, as it can also be rendered for SDR displays.

Android UItra HDR: AI-Based Improvement

Back in I/O 2023, Google introduced a new feature that looked into matching against the renowned camera and output quality of what Apple has to offer for the iPhones. This centers on the Android operating system's latest version (Android 14) to get the Ultra HDR feature that will enable users to capture crisp shadows, vibrant colors, and improved definition.

Through Android 14, users may access the Ultra HDR feature directly on the built-in camera app of their respective devices but is available to compatible phones only.

Moreover, it was previously reported that Google Photos is also getting Ultra HDR compatibility to help bring higher-quality photos accessible for users, viewing it at its best possible output.

While this is already widely available for Android 14 phones compatible with the Ultra HDR feature, there are still lapses from Google regarding this tech's integration among camera apps. Third-party camera apps like Snapchat and Instagram will soon get a boost thanks to Ultra HDR, as regarded by the latest report, through the CameraX API so that Androids will no longer be left behind.