Google Camera app 8.5 teardown reveals Pixel 7 4K video on selfie cam

Google’s Pixel phones often sport powerful cameras, but much of the power comes from software smarts rather than top-tier hardware (although hardware does play a factor!). As such, updates to the Google Camera app can often reveal tidbits about the company’s next flagship before it arrives.

Thanks to a 9to5Google teardown of the latest Google Camera app update, we now know some details about the camera systems in the upcoming Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel tablet. Now, as with any teardown, the information detailed by 9to5 might not completely reliable. Teardowns involve looking at app code, so details and new features hinted at by the code may be unfinished or subject to change. In other words, take everything revealed by a teardown with a grain of salt.

Pixel 7, 7 Pro to support 4K selfie cam video

With that said, the first thing 9to5 found in the teardown of Google Camera 8.5 was code suggesting both the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro would sport selfie cameras capable of recording 4K video. While the Pixel 6 Pro also supports 4K selfie camera video, the Pixel 6 does not — it maxes out at ‘Full HD’ (FHD). Moreover, the Pixel 6 selfie camera clocks in at an 8-megapixel resolution compared to the 11.1-megapixel 6 Pro. Presumably, if both the 7 and 7 Pro offer 4K selfie video, then both selfie cameras could be the same as what’s in the 6 Pro.

9to5 suggests as much but notes the Camera app code isn’t clear. Both the 7 and 7 Pro refer to “p21_front_setup” for the front camera, which is the same reference the 6 Pro uses.

Beyond that, the Camera app code indicates there aren’t any significant hardware changes for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro cameras. That could change as we get closer to the Pixel 7 release, but for now, it seems like the 7 and 7 Pro are more of a refresh.

Pixel tablet camera may lack several key features

Next up, 9to5 found some preliminary work to prepare Google Camera for the Pixel tablet the company plans to release sometime in 2023. We already know the tablet will likely sport one rear camera, which makes sense given that tablets generally aren’t considered go-to camera devices.

However, 9to5 notes that code in Camera app 8.5 indicates the Pixel tablet camera won’t support 4K video recording at 60 frames per second (fps). Worse, the camera might not support 4K video at all.

Camera app code also suggests that the tablet won’t support several common Pixel camera features, such as Audio Zoom, slow motion video, or Action Pan photos.

Once again, these details could change as we near the Pixel tablet release. That said, if you were hoping the Pixel tablet would sport the excellent camera chops of Google’s Pixel phones, you may want to adjust your expectations.

Header image credit: Google

Source: 9to5Google