Android 14 may introduce Google’s version of Apple’s Continuity Camera feature, which allows an iPhone camera to be used as an improved Mac webcam.
A new ‘DeviceAsWebcam’ tool has been spied within the Android open source project (AOSP) code, which suggests the handy feature might be on the way in a future release.
The code, spotted by Mishaal Rahman and reported by 9to5Google, points to a feature that’s very much as the name suggests. The submission reads:
“DeviceAsWebcam is a new service that turns an android device into a webcam. It requires access to all services that a regular app needs access to, and it requires read/write permission to /dev/video* nodes which is how the linux kernel mounts the UVC gadget.”
AOSP
Should the feature come to fruition, it would likely enable Android 14 device owners to upgrade the quality of their laptop webcam for video conferencing, live video streaming, and plenty more.
It appears Google’s incarnation of the technology could be a little more flexible than Apple’s, which only works between iOS and macOS technology. The report points out it will deploy the USB Video Class (UVC) standard, meaning you should be able to use it on Windows laptops too.
The Apple version of the technology allows multiple cameras to be used concurrently, which enables items on the desk to be captured as well as the user’s face. This is amazing for creating how-to videos, for example. The bokeh effect provided by portrait mode also enables users to blur out their messy background when conducting video calls.
Bottom line: Most desktop and laptop webcams are sub-standard and this would be an excellent means of boosting the quality without buying an external webcam. Get it done, Google.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
