It looks like Android 15 will bring improved video stabilization for third-party camera apps and could be the key to making some of the best Android phones true video competitors to the best iPhones.
Android Authority code diver Mishaal Rahman discovered that Android 15 appears set to add a new 'Eyes Free' feature to Android's existing Camera2 API that allows third-party camera apps to access extensions that manufacturers of phones have implemented in their devices. In the case of Eyes Free, that means incorporating the first Android camera extension that can be used in video capture. According to Eyes Free's description, it “aims to lock and stabilize a certain region or object of interest.”
So from that and Rahman's report we can deduce that Eyes Free will bring the video stabilization found in the Google Pixel 8 Pro and 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 could take advantage of the auto-detect, bokeh, face retouching, HDR and Night modes facilitated by the Camera2 extension.
These features mean that users can take advantage of the camera and recording options in third-party apps without seeing a big drop in quality; Without this, 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 upload process in a third-party app, rather than shooting directly in that app.
It's worth noting that phone manufacturers can implement their own camera channels for third-party apps. But having the Eyes Free feature could help improve some of the videography on Android phones in general and bring it more in line with what the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro can offer in terms of video capture through non-native apps.
While this isn't the biggest potential update that Android 15 looks to bring, it is an indication that we could see video capture get a shot in the arm for Android phones. In general, iPhones tend to be seen as the leaders in smartphone videography, and phones from Google and Samsung don't offer the same image quality and ease of use.
While this isn't the biggest potential update that Android 15 looks to bring, it is an indication that we could see video capture get a shot in the arm for Android phones. In general, iPhones tend to be seen as the leaders in smartphone videography, and phones from Google and Samsung don't offer the same image quality and ease of use.
