How Android 15 will improve webcam functionality on Google Pixel phones

Android 15 will be released in the second half of 2024 and will come with several new features that are expected to appear on Google Pixel phones first and then other Android phones. While we’ve recently seen some new features in Android 15 Developer Preview 2, which was released last week, the company is also reportedly working on improving a feature that will let you use your Android phone as a webcam.

According to recent reports from Android authorities Report, the webcam feature introduced on Pixel smartphones will be upgraded on Android 15. The publication previously tested the webcam feature on the Pixel 8 Pro as well as the continuity camera on Apple’s iPhone models (which offer the same functionality) and found that the latter offered better video quality. According to reports, Google may close this gap with the next version of Android.

When Android 15 releases later this year, webcam mode will reportedly feature a new Headquarters According to the report, a button to turn on high quality mode. Unlike the default mode available since Android 14, this mode is said to improve the quality of videos recorded in webcam mode by disabling power optimizations that sacrifice video quality to save battery.

It’s unclear what effect enabling High Quality Battery will have on battery life compared to Standard mode. Google’s webcam feature only works in wired mode, so a connected USB cable can help reduce battery drain to an extent, but users who expect longer talk times may want to consider switching to regular mode.

The latest Android 12 DP 2 build has enabled support for the new High Quality Mode, and users who have installed the preview version on their Pixel smartphones can now test the feature and compare it to the original mode.

Google is making several improvements to existing features while adding some new features in Android 15. These include native support for satellite connections, improved NFC capabilities, better support for apps on the foldable phone’s cover screen, and support for configuring app archives. All of these features will likely make their way into the final version when it launches in the second half of 2024.