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Latest Google Camera update brings new features to the Pixel 6 series

The latest Google Camera update currently doesn't work on older Pixel phones.

What you need to know

  • Google Camera v8.4.167 is now rolling out to Pixel phones.
  • The update finally brings support for Bluetooth microphones, along with new toggles for white balance and exposure.
  • You can download the update from the Google Play Store.

Google has released an updated version of its Camera app with some new features and improvements, just a day before the Pixel 6 series phones finally go on sale. Along with new features, the latest Google Camera update (v8.4.167) also brings performance improvements and other enhancements.

For now, however, the update appears to be limited to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. While you can sideload the app on older Pixels, the app crashes just a few seconds after being launched.

As you can see in the screenshots shared by Mishaal Rahman on Twitter, the update brings toggles for manual white balance and exposure controls. There is also a new Timer light feature that "flashes the back camera light during the timer countdown."

The most significant change, however, is the addition of Bluetooth mic support. This means you'll be able to use the best wireless earbuds and other Bluetooth devices to record audio on your Pixel 6 or 6 Pro while recording video. The feature was first spotted by XDA Developers in a teardown of an unreleased, internal version of the Google Camera app last month.

Earlier this week, Google told Android Authority that it plans to bring some of the Pixel 6's new software features to older Pixels in the future. However, it did warn that some features that such as Live Translate may not come to other Pixels as it utilizes the Pixel 6's Tensor chip on TPU.

Google Pixel 6

From $599 at Amazon From $599 at Best Buy From $599 at B&H

The Pixel 6 is an impressive upgrade over last year's Pixel 5, offering fast performance and significantly improved camera performance. It is also the first Pixel to be powered by Google's custom Tensor chipset.


by Babu Mohan