Digging into the recent 8.5 update to Google Camera, we found that the front-facing cameras of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro models coming online this fall support 4K video recording. Foreign tech media 9to5Google discovered the code for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro selfie cameras by decompiling the APK files for Google Camera.
According to sources, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have a front-facing camera that supports 4K video recording. The Pixel 6 currently features an 8-megapixel camera that only supports video recording up to 1080P resolution, while the Pixel 6 Pro features 11.1 megapixels and supports 4K video recording.
The code found in the Google Camera app tags the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro with “p21_front_setup”, which was previously reserved for the Pixel 6 Pro, suggesting that the upcoming phones could be the same as Google’s top flagship in 2021. The code was previously reserved for the Pixel 6 Pro, suggesting that the upcoming phone could have the same sensor as Google’s top flagship in 2021.
While this isn’t a downgrade and helps Google save money by reusing older hardware, we should see imaging improvements driven by the second-generation Tensor chip. This isn’t a new strategy where the company reuses imaging hardware but uses clever software tricks to improve quality.
Also, we don’t know the frame rate limit for selfie cameras recording 4K video, but if the sensor comes directly from the Pixel 6 Pro, it could stay at 30FPS unless Google decides to step it up. While the ad giant previewed the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro during its I/O 2022 keynote, there’s still a lot we don’t know about these smartphones.
