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Exclusive Pixel 3 camera features leak ahead of Google’s media event

Published Oct 9th, 2018 6:50AM EDT
Pixel 3 XL Release Date
Image: Rozetked

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Google a few hours ago trolled fans with a video mocking the many Pixel 3 leaks that we saw this summer, teasing that not everything has leaked. Guess what happened then? More of the remaining Pixel 3 secrets were leaked. This time we’re looking the exclusive camera features that the Pixel 3 series will get.

The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will share the same camera setup. We’ll have a main camera on the back, and two cameras on the front. 9to5Google obtained details about the new software tricks that are bundled with the new cameras, including Top Shot, Photobooth, Super res zoom, and others.

With Top Shot, the camera will capture a burst of photos including shots of just before and just after pressing the shutter. On-device machine learning will then allow the Pixel to select the best shots automatically. The feature also focuses on saving device storage by decreasing the resolution of unimportant parts of the picture and retaining the high-quality of the subject and key elements. Google AI will focus on making sure that the photo captures smiles and open eyes, and that the subject is looking at the camera

Photobooth will let you capture pictures photobooth-style, just like that Google Clips camera that Google launched last year. Place the phone somewhere, and the software will take pictures. Again, Google AI will look for specific characteristics, like smiling faces, people making funny faces, winking, sticking their tongues out, and that sort of thing.

Super res zoom is “pretty much like AI-zoom,” a person familiar with the matter said. AI will use algorithms to improve the quality of a zoomed image.

The selfie cam, meanwhile, will use the wide-angle lens for Super Selfies. We heard of the feature before, but then Google mocked it in a Pixel 3 teaser, so it’ll probably launch with a different marketing name.

Finally, the Pixel 3 camera does auto focus on subjects while tracking them.

Like we told you before, these features are exclusive to the Pixel 3, meaning you won’t get them on older hardware. The following image lists all the Pixel 3 features compared to the Pixel 2 and original Pixel.

Image source: 9to5Google
Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.