Google’s in-house Tensor chip holds back its Pixel phones in the performance and battery life department compared to the competition. But the same SoC enables several amazing camera features on the Pixels you won’t find on any other Android phone.Best Takeis one such feature that Google launched with thePixel 8 series. It allows you to swap faces from multiple group photos to get the “best” picture. Google appears to be already working on improving Best Take by merging it with Top Shot.
Best Take and Top Shot are similar features but serve different purposes. With Top Shot, you’re able to save an individual picture from a motion photo or video. A teardown of the latest Pixel Camera v9.2 APK fromAndroid Authorityindicates Google wants to merge the two features. Based on the discovered strings, the publication speculates that Google could let you use “Motion Photos to choose the photo instances with good facial expressions of individuals and then combining a few of these to create the best possible group photo.”
Right now, Best Take is limited to swapping facial expressions between group pictures taken within a few seconds of each other. A motion photo captures a few frames before and after the shutter button is pressed. So, the ability to use motion photos as a base for Best Take would make the feature a lot more useful and let you get that perfect group shot without presumably having to take multiple group pictures.
Additionally, strings found in Pixel Camera v9.2 reveal that the upcoming Video Boost feature on the Pixel 8 Pro will not work on videos moved to Locked Folder in Google Photos. You will be prompted to move such videos away from the secure folder for the feature to do its magic.
To boost a video, Locked Folder needs to be turned off.
Turn off Locked Folder?
More importantly, one of the strings suggests Video Boost will only work on videos up to a certain length, though the exact duration could not be determined.
Video Boost will arrive on theGoogle Pixel 8 Prowith the upcoming December 2023 Feature Drop alongside several other camera features and enhancements. The update is expected to drop within a few days. It is just one of themany Pixel 8 features that has yet to launch.
The Pixel Camera v9.2 update is also likely linked to the Feature Drop. It brings the revamped camera app UI to older Pixels and allows you to turn off capturing Ultra HDR and wide color gamut photos. On the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, the app also adds a new Night Sight Time Lapse feature for better nighttime videos.
