Even though the Google Pixel 6 cameras aren’t perfect in every scenario, their main competition in the market are the Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max. There is a piece of good news for older Pixel device owners. Because several Google Pixel 6 exclusive features are now rolling out for older Pixel phones via an update. This means older Pixel phones will also enjoy features such as Magic Eraser, Action Pan mode, along with the ability to modify exposure and Timer Light. Notably, this is a big update, as far as a camera update is concerned. According to XDA Developers, all the new features are rolling out with Google Camera 8.4. The latest version of the Google Camera app is now available to sideload. Once installed, you will be able to enjoy all the cool new features you might have seen advertised for the Pixel 6 series on your older Pixel device.
The updated Google Camera app isn’t available on the Google Play Store
An important point to note here is, the Google Camera app version 8.4 isn’t available officially on the Play Store. At least, not as of now. You can grab it from a trusted third-party source such as APKMirror. Folks at XDA tried sideloading and running the app on the Google Pixel 5, but it crashed repeatedly. However, the Google Camera app version 8.4 ran perfectly fine on the Google Pixel 4a. So, you can take your chances. Talking about the ability to modify the exposure, this was a Pixel 6 exclusive feature. You had the option to disable the exposure option on your phone’s camera and let the device handle it for you. It helped in getting an uncluttered camera interface, without any unwanted options. As for the Timer Light, the flash on the rear of the phone was used as a countdown. The down arrow button at the top, when tapped, shows you either a settings cogwheel or the night mode button, which is enabled by default. Another interesting interface tweak is instead of showing up on the Pixel 6’s usual center spot, the settings and night mode button shows up in the middle position on the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a. It is because, the Pixel 6 has a center punch-hole, while Pixel 5 and 4a come with a punch-hole on the left of the display.