For many users, the camera is the most vital component of a smartphone. So it’s no surprise that Google made Pixel’s camera the star. No matter what camera hardware Google uses, its image processing pipeline and Google Camera software keep the Pixel at the top of the smartphone camera rankings. A new custom-made processor gives Google even more control over picture processing on this year’s Pixel 6 series. XDA now has access to an unpublished, internal version of the Google Camera app from our source, as well as further information from our source.
The new Google Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro will feature a 50MP main Samsung GN1 sensor along with a 12MP Sony IMX386 ultra-wide lens. The Pixel 6 Pro gets an additional 48MP Sony IMX586 telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom. There is a 12MP Sony IMX663 selfie shooter on Pixel 6 Pro whereas the Pixel 6 with 8MP.
Wide-Angle Selfie Shooter:
Although the Pixel 6 Pro is expected to feature a higher-resolution front-facing camera, there may be another factor. A line that reads: This attribute is only true if the phone’s codename matches “raven”, which has already been identified as the Pixel 6 Pro’s codename. (The standard Pixel 6 is codenamed “oriole”).
The frontSupportedSingleUWDefaultToggleBarZoomRatioMap value specifies the zoom ratios. The Pixel 3 and 3 XL are the only Google phones featuring a dedicated super wide-angle selfie camera. This, along with the Pixel 6 Pro’s obvious single front-facing camera, leads us to think that the Pixel 6 Pro — but not the Pixel 6 — may feature an extremely wide-angle front camera lens.
We don’t know how wide the Pixel 6 Pro’s front camera is without knowing the FOV. Our source confirms that the Pixel 6 Pro’s selfie camera has two preset zoom levels: 0.7X and 1.0X.
New Video features:
A 4K at 60fps video recording is supported by the Pixel 6 Pro (and probably the Pixel 6). No 4K60 footage from ultra-wide or telephoto cameras is supported by our source’s Pixel 6 Pro. The ultra-wide, telephoto, and selfie cameras can only record in 4K at 30fps.
The code and our source set the maximum zoom level for 4K60 or 1080p60 recording at 7X. This is an improvement over the Pixel 5’s maximum 5X magnification while shooting 4K60 movies. Our source says recording at 4K30 or 1080p30 allows zooming up to 20X. Photos may also get 20X zoom.
Our source says that while filming at 4K30, you may swap between the primary, ultra-wide-angle, and telephoto lenses without interrupting the recording. No telephoto or ultra-wide-angle lenses support 4K60, thus the Pixel 6 Pro can’t smoothly switch to those lenses while recording at that resolution.
Audio zoom is anticipated on both Pixel 6 phones, as it was on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5. The camera records sound using the microphones in the direction the user is presently focused in.
We discovered a few intriguing things when exploring the Google Camera app’s other Pixel 6 capabilities. A lot of the logic and processing is buried in closed-source libraries, so it’s hard to tell what they do. What the codenames do reveal about the Pixel 6 camera is intriguing.
Resetting the white balance:
Google has been working on introducing a customizable white balance UI to the Google Camera app for months. We noticed this in July when a “chameleon ui” layout was created, however, the functionality is still not complete.
This functionality may be linked to Google’s attempts to enhance skin tone capture on its phones. Google claimed it is improving its computational photography models’ understanding of skin tones and how to alter the white balance. Possible developer-only feature, but we’re hopeful the business exposes it to consumers seeking a pro camera experience.
Magic Eraser:
The codename “swiss” is associated with a function dubbed “magic eraser” in the upcoming Google Camera app. This function is activated in the Pixel 6 series, and it seems to be accelerated by the TPU in the Google Tensor processor. “Magic eraser” seems to be a post-processing effect, but its purpose is unknown. We believe this function will allow you to delete items or persons from a picture. Maybe the Pixel 6 brings back Google Photos’ long-abandoned object removal feature?
Face Deblur:
Face deblur is one of the few Pixel 6 cameras features Google confirmed. The firm demonstrated the functionality to The Verge, which detailed it in detail. Basically, the Pixel 6 takes multiple photos with the main sensor and merges them into one HDR image. At the same time, the phone’s super-wide-angle camera will capture clearer pictures. In the HDR picture, the TPU utilizes facial information from the extreme wide-angle photos to deblur.
The Google Camera app seems to manage this function through two related flags: FACE DEBLUR and HDR PLUS DEBLUR FUSION, both set to true for the Pixel 6 series. The HDR+ post-processing pipeline uses FACE DEBLUR flags as intended. However, code indicates the TPU is presently accelerating the face deblur function. The HDR PLUS DEBLUR FUSION feature, code-named “falcon”, has many characteristics, one of which is the ability to store a before/after image.
Google Camera 7.5 had a strange “naruto” code-name that left us puzzled, since the app’s code didn’t explain what it performs. Thankfully, we now know that the “naruto” codename refers to a “scene lock” function. We’re not clear how this differs from the AF/AE lock currently in the Google Camera app.
“Front torch?”
A feature named “FRONT TORCH” is mentioned in classes like “SelfieFlashIlluminationController.” The Pixel 6 Pro doesn’t seem to have a front-facing LED flash, and our source claims that turning it on simply makes the Google Camera UI beige. This uses the phone’s display to light up whatever is in front of it, although it isn’t as strong as a dedicated LED flash. This functionality isn’t new, but it’s not visible in the version of Google Camera my source has access to.
Bluetooth mic support
The program supports utilizing a Bluetooth microphone during video recording, however, our source cannot access it. After adding support for external (wired) microphones in 2018, it seems Google Camera is working on adding Bluetooth mic compatibility. The function, codenamed “sapphire,” seems to work with any Bluetooth audio device, including Google’s own Pixel Buds A.
Timer Light:
Another new feature of the Google Camera app has been discovered, although our source isn’t aware of it. Strings for this function imply it will flash the back LED light when the camera app counts down before snapping a picture. The countdown on the screen will be visible when the phone is ready to snap a picture.
Motion Blur:
Also in Google Camera 7.5, the codename “lasagna” was spotted by GCam modders. The new Google Camera app confirms that a motion blur feature is in the works. “Creative blur effects for your photos.” On our source’s Pixel 6 Pro, there is no motion blur option, although it may come in a future app update.
Nima Aesthetic:
The Pixel 6 series seems to have a new option dubbed “nima aesthetic” activated, but its purpose is unknown. It’s similar to Google Camera’s Top Shot function, which utilizes machine learning to choose the best picture from a burst. Top Shot was launched with the Pixel 3, but it seems Google is improving it with the Pixel 6 series. The TPU on the Google Tensor chip seems to be hardware-accelerating “Nima aesthetic”.
Baby Mode:
Google is working on a new camera function dubbed “baby mode.” But a dissection of the Google Camera app indicates the functionality is (at least temporarily) unique to the Pixel 6 series since it needs a camera library available on 2021 Pixels. We discovered the following variables in one class linked to “smart capture”: BABY VALUE, BABY ACTIVITY VALUE In the same class, numerous additional “activities” seem to be triggers for Google Camera’s auto-capture function (formerly known as “photobooth”). As a result, the auto-capture function will now be able to identify infants playing and snap pictures of them.
Frequent Faces v2:
“Frequent Faces” is a camera function introduced with the Pixel 4 series. When enabled, the Google Camera app automatically focuses on individuals you frequently picture. The 2021 Pixel setup mentions FREQUENT FACES V2 as an enabled feature.
The 2021 Pixel 5a and Pixel 6 configuration files have “PORTRAIT SPOTLIGHT ENHANCE ENABLED” set to true. It seems that “gouda.spotlight” is different from “gouda.firefly.” Existing Pixel phones have this functionality in the Google Photos app.
Google also reveals the next Pixel aka Pixel 7 details:
The 2022 Pixel — which we’re dubbing the Pixel 7 for obvious reasons — appears in the unpublished Google Camera app. The DeviceProperties class verifies the codename “pipit” for the 2022 Pixel. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are codenamed “oriole” and “raven” respectively. Google may have changed the codename for Pixel phones to reflect the move from Qualcomm to its own chipmaker.
Strangely, isPixel2022 only lists one codename. It’s too early to say whether a Pixel 7 “Pro” variant will be released in 2022. It’s also too early to determine whether the ConfigPixel2022 class properly represents the camera functionality of next year’s Pixel 7 since it inherits numerous Pixel 6 setups.
The Pixel 7 will include a Google-made SoC and many, if not all, of the same camera software capabilities as the Pixel 6 series, it is apparent. The Pixel 7 may feature an ultra-wide-angle camera, like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 4a 5G/5/5a before it, but no telephoto lens is mentioned in the code. Again, it’s too early to tell whether this version of the Google Camera app properly lists the Pixel 7’s camera capabilities.
