Google is pretty new to the hardware game on phones and better late than never since they changed the smartphone camera game. Their strength is in software and they decided to use their HDR + technology first employed in the Nexus 6P that has enabled their phones to take stunning photos.
Their new smartphone, the Pixel 2, improved on its predecessor’s HDR + technology and now it is regarded as the best camera you can find on the smartphone.
However, Google was sneaky this time around when they decided to add hardware inside the Pixel 2, dubbed the Pixel Visual Core. This is a custom processor inside the Pixel 2 that was to be used later on that would enable more apps to use the camera on the phone to take HDR+ quality photos.
We were wondering when Google would flip the switch and turn on this mysterious core and now they have. “Today, we’re turning on Pixel Visual Core for Pixel 2 users – a custom designed co-processor for Pixel 2,” Google said. The company claims that the Pixel Visual Core will improve the quality of images in apps that take photos.
How it works is that the Core will do the heavy lifting in image processing when it runs the HDR algorithm, zoomed in shots will look sharper and more detail as well as have zero shutter lag to capture the right moment.
This update on the Pixel that enables the Pixel Visual Core will allow you to shoot and share amazing photos on Snapchat, WhatsApp and Instagram. Google says that this update will be rolling out in the next few days, so if you have a Pixel 2, wait for the February monthly update.
Clearly, Google does not want you to be missing out on taking good photos even when you are not using the official app and rolling out the capability to other 3rd party apps is a sweet deal for being a Pixel 2 owner.
