The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are notable for several reasons, including the fact that they’re Google’s new flagship phones and that they’ve got solid camera performance. Today another notable detail of these new phones has been revealed.
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL include the Pixel Visual Core, Google’s first custom System on Chip (SoC). This Image Processing Unit aims to expand HDR+ for photos and offer lower latency and more power-efficient HDR+ functionality. Google says that the Pixel Visual Core can make HDR+ run 5 times faster and at less than 1/10th of the energy than running on the application processor.
In the image above, the photo on the left was taken with a third-party app on the Pixel 2 and the photo on the right is taking using HDR+ and the Pixel Visual Core.
This Pixel Visual Core isn’t yet activated in Pixel 2 phones. Google plans to turn it on as a developer option in the Android 8.1 Oreo Developer Preview, which will be offered in the coming weeks. Later on, Google will make it available to all third-party apps using the Android Camera API.
This is exciting news for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL owners. Early reviews of Google’s new flagships sound positive, including when it comes to camera performance, and the Pixel Visual Core will help make the Pixel 2’s HDR+ capabilities available in other apps. Plus, we now know that our first taste of Android 8.1 is just weeks away.
