It looks like Android 15 will bring improved video stabilization to third-party camera apps, and could be the key to turning some of the best Android phones into true video competitors to the best iPhones.
Android Authority code diver Mishaal Rahman discovered that it looks like Android 15 will get a new ‘Eyes Free’ feature added to Android’s existing Camera2 API, which will allow third-party camera apps to access extensions that phone makers have implemented on their devices. In the case of Eyes Free, this means introducing the first Android camera extension that can be used in video recording. According to Eyes Free’s description, it “aims to lock and stabilize a particular region or object of interest.”
So from that and Rahman’s report we can say that Eyes Free will bring the video stabilization of the likes of the Google Pixel 8 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to video-focused third-party apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
So this would mean that, in addition to video stabilization, third-party apps would be able to take advantage of auto-detection, bokeh, face retouch, HDR, and night modes powered by the Camera2 extension.
Such features ensure that users can take advantage of the camera and recording options in third-party apps without seeing a major drop in quality; If not, to get the best photos and videos, users would have to capture them in their phone’s native camera app and then go through the process of uploading them to a third-party app, rather than directly into to photograph that app.
It’s worth noting that phone makers can implement their own camera pipelines for third-party apps. But having the Eyes Free feature could help improve some videography on Android phones in general, bringing them more in line with what the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have to offer in terms of video recording via non- native apps.
While this isn’t the biggest potential upgrade that Android 15 appears to be bringing, it’s an indication that we could see video recording get a shot at Android phones. Generally speaking, iPhones are seen as the leader in smartphone videography, with Google and Samsung phones not quite delivering the same image quality and ease of use.
While this isn’t the biggest potential upgrade that Android 15 appears to be bringing, it’s an indication that we could see video recording get a shot at Android phones. Generally speaking, iPhones are seen as the leader in smartphone videography, with Google and Samsung phones not quite delivering the same image quality and ease of use.