Google Pixel camera trick comes to other phones through a mod
Much of the Google Pixel’s photographic prowess comes from its software — it’s particularly good at high dynamic range photos thanks to its HDR+ mode, which fills in gobs of detail while reducing the blur you sometimes see in HDR shots. But do you have to buy a Pixel phone to see the benefit? Not necessarily, if you’re willing to live life on the edge. Developer B-S-G has modified the Google Camera app to enable HDR+ on any Android phone with a Snapdragon 820, 821 or 835 processor. Your Galaxy S8 or OnePlus 3 won’t perfectly mirror the Pixel’s photo quality, but this could lead to improvements when taking photos in situations with bright highlights or dark shadows — especially if your phone’s default image processing is mediocre. XDA has verified that the software works, so it’s not just a bold claim.
The software is still in a rough state, so you might not want to install it if you depend on Google Camera for your snapshots. We also wouldn’t be surprised if the mod is relatively short-lived given that it’s not exactly Google-approved. Still, this along with previous mods (such as a high-speed shutter mod for Nexus phones) shows that the Pixel’s camera tricks could theoretically help any Android phone, not just those with a “G” on the back.
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