What you need to know
- Google’s Pixel Camera Services app has been updated to version 1.1, which expands a few Pixel Night Sight features to third-party apps.
- The update also includes support for Android 14, bug fixes, and performance improvements.
- You can now swap between manual focus and autofocus when using Night mode on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 models.
- Pixel 6 Pro and 7 Pro owners can also switch between the primary shooter and the telephoto camera for improved zoom capabilities.
Google has started rolling out the most useful update to Pixel Camera Services since the app’s launch in March of last year, introducing a few photography features to third-party apps like Snapchat.
The latest version of Pixel Camera Services (version 1.1) is now live on the Play Store, allowing eligible third-party apps to access a few handy features of Pixel Night Sight, such as autofocus, manual focus, and zoom capabilities (via 9to5Google). This means you can now swap between manual focus and autofocus when using Night mode on the recent Pixel models.
In addition, you’ll be able to switch between the primary camera and telephoto shooter on the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro for better zoom performance.
Google made it possible for third-party apps to take advantage of the powerful Night Sight features on Pixel phones with the debut of Pixel Camera Services last year. The latest update marks the app’s biggest improvement to date.
Interestingly, it arrives a few days after the June 2023 Pixel feature drop landed, bringing with it self-timed selfies with palm gestures, macro-focus video recording for the Pixel 7 Pro, and more.
However, the app’s introduction also meant that any new features added to Pixel’s Night Sight would only be available on the Pixel 6 and 7 lineups, at least for the time being. If you’re toting any of the older Pixel phones, you’re out of luck unless you upgrade to a newer model.
By making these features available to third-party apps, Google hopes to improve the consistency of the Pixel camera experience across apps and solidify the Pixel phone’s position as one of the leading Android camera phones on the market.
If you need a phone that excels in every area, the Pixel 7 Pro remains the clear choice. The phone has a larger 6.7-inch QHD+ panel with 120Hz support and a 5000mAh battery. It is also powered by the Tensor G2 and has the same set of cameras, but it comes with an extra zoom lens that provides 5x optical zoom.
