Google Camera 7.0 mainly confirms the features of the Google Pixel 4 camera

Earlier in the day, we published an article detailing all the changes made to the user interface as well as the new settings for users that we could find in Google Camera 7.0 from Google Pixel 4. This version of the Google Camera app was sent to us by our informant, Hani (@HANI_4K), who got the Vietnamese YouTuber APK Relab. Many changes have been made to the user interface in the latest version of the Pixel camera app, but there is also a ton of code that reveals the features of the Pixel 4 camera.

Last weekend, we analyzed the latest publicly available version of the Google Camera app, version 6.3, to reveal that Google was working on several new features that we believe would be present on Pixel 2019 smartphones. We've found features like audio zoom, live HDR, mesh distortion to correct distortions of the wide-angle selfie, and possible improvements in night vision. The released version 7.0 of the Google Camera app continues to work on these features and corroborates their presence on Pixel 4. The API disclosed also reveals work on several features not yet unveiled, as well as a possible list of features of the Pixel 4 camera.

Motion blur on the pixel 4

Although it seems like an eternity, it was not until last week that we learned that Pixel 4 would have a "Motion Mode" in the Google Camera app. According to a source speaking at 9to5Google, the new camera mode will be one of the flagship features of Pixel 4. It will let you photograph moving subjects in the foreground while making the background blurry, ideal for sports event photos.

This "Motion Mode" feature does not feature in any of the latest leaks, but this is probably due to the fact that it is still hidden in the Google Camera app on pre-release devices. We've spotted a channel for a new camera mode, although the string itself only contains the mode's code name: "paneer".

paneer

For reference, Night Sight is called "cuttlefish" internally and Time Lapse is called "Cheetah" internally. We do not know why the code name "paneer" was chosen, but it's clear that this is a new "motion blur" feature in the Google Camera app. It is possible that "Motion Mode" is the marketing name of this "motion blur" function.

Test of night sights and astrophotography

9to5GoogleThe source also claims that the famous Google Night Sight feature, which uses computational photography algorithms to produce detailed images in low light conditions, will not only accelerate, but will also be able to take pictures of the starry sky. A divulged promotional video corroborated the astrophotography capabilities of Pixel 4, but the new Night Sight code we found in Google Camera 6.3 did not meet our expectations. However, with Google Camera 7.0, we are more confident that Night Sight will be improved on Google Pixel 4. We have spotted several indicators in a dogfood configuration class that show how Google was testing major improvements to Night Sight.

While in the previous AP we only had a vague reference to Zero Shutter Lag for night vision (zsl_ns), the latest APK makes things very clear. ZSL_NIGHT_SIGHT confirms that Google is testing a much faster night vision, probably for Pixel 4. On the other hand, for astrophotography, Google will use the GPU (Adreno 640 from Qualcomm Snapdragon 855) to speed up segmentation from the sky, then optimize the image by "finding" the stars and illuminating them. The tripod detection has also seen improvements, as it now changes the shutter button to stop button and adds the number of images in the middle of the countdown.

Live HDR, HDRNet and Mesh Warping

When dismounting Google Camera 6.3, we discovered references to a "Live HDR" mode that seemed linked to the "HDRNet" algorithm developed by MIT and Google researchers. This algorithm can be used to apply HDR in real time to the camera's viewfinder and can also be used to automatically retouch photos a few milliseconds after taking them. The deformation mesh probably refers to a new technique developed by Google researchers to correct the distortion generated by front-facing wide angle cameras. The presence of mesh deformations in the Google Camera application goes in the direction of the rumor that the Pixel 4 is endowed with a wide angle front camera.

We have again found references to Live HDR, HDRNet and mesh distortion in Google Camera 7.0, although this time the references have been less blurred. These features are limited to Pixel 2019 smartphones (excluding Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, since Google calls the Pixel 3a line the code "PIXEL_2019_MIDRANGE" in the code) because they require new camera libraries.

Zoom audio on the Google Pixel 4

Some smartphones use their microphones to focus on a major audio source when the camera zooms in. LG and HTC have been doing this for several years now, and Samsung has recently brought it back on the Galaxy Note 10 after getting rid of it for a few moments. generations back. The new Apple iPhone 11 also has its own audio zoom feature. We are not surprised that Google Pixel 4 also comes with this feature. After all, Google has acquired much of the intellectual property and talent of HTC. The configuration of the 2019 pixel indicates "AUDIO_ZOOM_SUPPORTED" as being true, the launch is thus probable on Pixel 4.

Dynamic depth format support

Android 10 supports a new file scheme called Dynamic Depth Format (DDF). According to Google, DDF files contain depth data for photos, which allows applications to use them to change the blur in the post-processing without touching the original image. The configuration of the Pixel 4 camera indicates "EMBED_DYNAMIC_DEPTH_REAR" and "EMBED_DYNAMIC_DEPTH_FRONT" as true, indicating that the devices will support the recording of the depth data as a DDF file. We also found that the Google Photos app is currently testing support for dynamic depth format management.

Possible integration of Photobooth with AR Playground stickers

Photobooth is a Google Camera feature introduced in Google Pixel 3. This feature automatically takes pictures when it detects smiles or funny faces in the frame. Although we do not know exactly what kind of improvements will be made to this feature, it seems that Google can make discreet changes. Throughout the code, we have spotted checks to see if "Photobooth2019" is supported, compared to "Photobooth", which means that it's an update the existing Photobooth feature.

One method in particular checks if the activity "com.google.vr.apps.ornament.funshot.activity.FunshotActivity" is found on the device before activating "Photobooth2019". This activity does not exist on a Pixel 2 XL or Pixel 3 XL under Android 10. Since "com.google.vr.apps.ornament" is the name of the Playground package (formerly called AR Stickers), it is possible that we see an integration of the AR sticker with Photobooth. Since the brand's change of functionality on Playground, Google has made the stickers for AR more expressive and interactive. However, we do not know if the upgraded Photobooth will capture photos based on AR character expressions.

Measure mode, rewind and rocky mode

In April, we discovered evidence that Google was preparing to integrate its augmented reality measurement application, based on ARCore, into the Google Camera tool. The code for this feature still exists in Google Camera 7.0, but it's unclear whether Google plans to launch it with Pixel 4.

Then, the latest versions of the Google Camera app have suggested a code name "McFly" (after the protagonist of Back to the Future) in Rewind mode. We are not too sure of how it works; all we really know for sure, is that its icon is a rewind symbol.

Another feature that is even more unknown to us is "rocky". We have identified references to this in ViewfinderEffectElement and in "MultiCropModule", but we do not yet know what it is supposed to do.

All features of the Google Pixel Camera 4, according to Google Camera Config

Finally, the dogfood configuration class basically lists all the features of the Google Pixel 4 camera. There are also arguments listing camera configurations updated for pixels 2016, 2017 , 2018 and mid-2019, but we will stick to brevity. just the new devices. The camera configuration suggests that the following is true:

• Google Pixel 4 supports audio zoom
• Google Pixel 4 supports deep data backup using the new Dynamic Depth Format (DDF)
• The Pixel 4 is equipped with a telephoto lens (a conclusion that has been corroborated many times).
• The devices support longer exposure times in Night Sight.
• The devices support the HDRNet algorithm.
• Google Lens's suggestions can detect and recommend document scanning (there is indeed a chain for a new "scan document" suggestion chip.)

… among others. In comparison, the list of features supported by the 2018 Pixel 3 is much shorter.

Bonus: the mysterious pixel 2019 "Needlefish" appears

In April, Gerrit mentioned in a comment of the AOSP code names supposed to belong to Pixel 2019 smartphones. Some code names were mentioned: "coral", "flame" and "needle fish". We now know that "flame" is the smallest pixel 4, while "coral" is the largest 4 pixel XL. , but we have not seen any reference to "needle" since April nor to the proof that Google is working on a third pixel for late 2019. Well, "needle" is back and we are still as confused as we it was in April.

The Camera Device 7.0 "DeviceProperties" class differentiates Pixel devices to load the correct camera configuration. We have noticed that, next to "coral" and "flame" in isPixel2019 (), "needlefish" indicates that this is indeed a 2019 pixel. However, the mystery remains as to what this could actually to be. A test device? A code name like "wahoo" for the unified kernel? Who knows. There is little or no evidence that there is another 2019 pixel in addition to Pixel 4 and 4 XL, so this is a mystery that we will have to solve for the moment.

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That's all we discovered in the version of Google Camera 7.0 disclosed in the Pixel 4 pre-release. If we learn more about any of the 2019 Pixel versions, we'll try to let you know, even if these leaks become exhausting.

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Thanks to PNF Software for providing us with a license to use JEB Decompiler, a professional-level reverse engineering tool for Android applications.