Although Android 14 is not out yet, and we have very little information on what could be coming with the upcoming update, it seems that Google is planning on letting users use their phones as a webcam, which isn't a revolutionary feature, but having first-party service will make things easier.
With Android 14, users will not have to rely on third-party apps to turn their phones into webcams
At the time of writing, if you want to use your Android or iPhone as a webcam, you will have to use an app called Camo. And while Apple has made this feature stock using Continuity Camera, you still don't have any other way on Android. But this is about to change.
Mishaal Rahman spotted some code changes, and based on the changes, Google seems to be working on a feature that would let you use your phone as a webcam. There is a project called "DeviceAsWebcam," and the name suggests what it might mean.
2410788: Add selinux permissions for DeviceAsWebcam Service | https://t.co/dpAmEU1m4I
2410787: Add selinux permissions for ro.usb.uvc.enabled | https://t.co/gFKOyWPq5S
2415830: Prevent non-system apps from read ro.usb.uvc.enabled | https://t.co/x1JvioMp9v
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 2, 2023
With this feature, you can plug your Android device into your computer and use the camera as a webcam. The one thing that makes it better than Apple's Continuity Camera is that Google has decided to opt for USB Video Class, which means this feature would work without any hindrances. You would not need to have specific devices. In contrast, the Continuity Camera only works if you are on an iOS and a Mac device.
One thing to note here is that "DeviceAsWebcam" is listed as just a service that will feed video data through the USB. This means that Google and other OEMs will need to either add a separate app for this to work or build the feature within the stock camera app.
Even though we don't know if Google will scrape this or continue with it, it certainly looks like a step in the right direction. Sure, you can go ahead and video call using your phone, as well. But a dedicated webcam is definitely good to have, especially when you want to use it on Discord on your computer, or for some other tasks. We will get to know more about the feature once Android 14 Developer Preview builds start rolling out.
The post Android 14 Could Let You Use Your Phone as a Webcam by Furqan Shahid appeared first on Wccftech.
