Google could fix one of the most annoying camera problems on Android

In the age of computational photography, smartphone cameras are relying increasingly on software features to produce high-quality images. While that’s perfectly fine when using your stock camera app, it opens up some annoying issues with third-party apps that use the cameras. On iOS, that issue is more or less solved, and Google is now taking steps to fix it on Android as well.

Android 17 could fix how third-party apps work with your phone’s camera

Google just launched the Android 17 Beta 3 with a small but important addition that could help third-party apps get access to all camera features. The company announced that it’s adding support for what it calls vendor-defined camera extensions.

Simply put, those will allow vendors to define and implement camera extensions that would give third-party app developers advanced camera features. These could include features such as Super Resolution or AI-driven enhancements, which will be accessible from third-party apps.

More options everywhere

The basics of this update are nothing new for Google, as the company has already supported camera extensions in Android. However, those were so far limited to more basic features, such as HDR and night mode. The new upgrade would allow vendors to give developers access to more advanced features.

The most obvious improvement could be seen from third-party camera apps, but Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are also likely to utilize the new options. Of course, vendors such as Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus will have to first provide access to their features, and then developers will need to implement them in their apps.



It would be safe to say that part of Google’s motivation for the change is how third-party apps work with the iPhone camera. While some of the processing is exclusive to Apple’s stock Camera app, third-party apps can take photos and videos with the same or even better quality. That's why some influencers prefer to create their social media content with an iPhone. Google’s update could help Android manufacturers offer the same experience.

Better late than never

If you ask me, I think Google is about a decade too late with that update, but I’m still glad that the new feature is here. Leaving some of the more advanced processing to the stock camera app is understandable, but I never understood the point of limiting apps like Instagram from taking full advantage of the hardware I’ve already purchased. Now, we can only hope that manufacturers actually implement those new camera extensions.