Camera performance has become a big deal in the smartphone world recently, with manufacturers trying out all kinds of different ways to make their shooters stand out. For example, HTC has its UltraPixel camera that focuses on low-light performance, Nokia has its PureView technology and the Lumia 1020 with its 41-megapixel shooter and Samsung has its Galaxy S4 Zoom, which is a smartphone with an optical zoom bolted onto its backside. We know that Google is focusing on improving the core Android camera experience, and today a new rumor claims to have additional details on the goodies that El Goog's got up its sleeve.
According to Engadget, Google is working on an updated version of the Android camera app that with new features that include a revamped user interface and a background-blurring effect that will snap images with a shallower depth of field. Google is also reportedly prepping high-res panorama and Photo Sphere modes, support for third-party filters that can be imported into the Camera app and a no-crop viewfinder, which will allow users to see exactly what their photo will look like before taking it and not worry about other objects sneaking into the edges of the shot.
That news is exciting for Android shutterbugs, but that's not even the best part of today's rumor. The report goes on to say that Google will make this updated camera app available as a standalone download through the Play Store, allowing anyone on Android 4.4 or higher to enjoy the app.
Google already has several other core Android apps on the Play Store's virtual shelves, including Google Keyboard and the Google Now Launcher, and it's exciting to hear that an updated camera app may soon land there as well. This makes the apps easier to update since they don't require a full-on over the air update, which means that manufacturers can update their apps more frequently and end users get to enjoy new features faster. Win-win.
Via Engadget
