If you own a Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X or Nexus 9, the latest update to Google Camera is for you. Google has released an update to the app, bringing it to version 4.0 for those keeping score at home, and it is squarely aimed at Nexus owners as the updates all have to do with the user experience and features for those devices. That is not to say non-Nexus owners won’t get this update but the benefits of the new features are only going to be seen on Nexus devices.
Depending on the device you have will depend on the features you get or see. For Nexus 5, Nexus 6, and Nexus 9 owners, you will now have the new user interface that was part of the release for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. That user interface is cleaner and features a fast switching ability to go from photo to video with just a swipe across your device’s screen. All owners of these devices will benefit from improved startup times of the app as well as easier access to photo modes through a top-left menu (Lens Blur, Panorama, Photo Sphere, etc). It is a far easier and intuitive interface compared to the old one in the app and after updating last night and playing with it, I like it a lot more than the old user interface.
Google Camera – Free – Download Now
Google Camera Brings Auto-HDR+ to Some Nexus Devices
Another new feature is Auto-HDR+. This is for enhancing photos in low light or backlit scenes where normal exposures tend to struggle. This new feature is only for the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X and
Google Camera New User Interface
Nexus 6P so Nexus 5 and Nexus 9 owners, you won’t see this new feature on your devices.
For those of you with the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, you will also have slow motion video capture functionality. This was something that Google highlighted at the release of these devices but to this point it hasn’t been there. Now it is and you can start shooting videos at 120fps on the 5x while the 6P can go to an impressive 240fps. For those with a 6P, you will also see SmartBurst come to your device with this update. If you don’t remember, SmartBurst is where you hold the shutter button down in the app and your phone will automatically capture a stream of photos and turn them into a GIF for you. If you have seen the GIF automations that Google Photos Assistant produces, you get the general idea of how this work although it should work a bit better with the actual phone and camera.
The update to Google Camera is in the Google Play Store now and you should see the OTA update for it in the coming days if you haven’t already.
