Just a few days back, Google released the first developer preview for Android 8.1 Oreo. The update was supposed to enable a hidden SoC on the device called the Pixel Visual Core. Developed in collaboration with Intel, this chip is dedicated exclusively to image processing. In the official blog post announcing Android 8.1 Developer Preview 1, Google stated that developers could test HDR+ processing through the Pixel Visual Core by enabling a new developer option.
Simple enough for developers to do, right? The only problem is that there is no such developer option available. Users have confirmed this on both the Google Pixel 2 and its larger counterpart the Pixel 2 XL. This video by Ron Amadeo from Ars Technica shows that the "Camera HAL HDR+" developer option is nowhere to be found:
So why is it hidden from the developer options? It appears that Google accidentally left it in as an option that can only be accessible on debug or engineering builds. Oops. Here's the evidence:
We first found the relevant strings related to the Camera HAL HDR+ option in the Settings APK.
<string name="camera_hal_hdrplus_switch">Camera HAL HDR+</string> <string name="camera_hal_hdrplus_toast">To apply Camera HAL HDR+ change, reboot device</string>
Clearly, it's supposed to be a switch that you can toggle. Once you toggle it, you have to reboot for it to take effect. With the help of XDA Recognized Contributor Quinny899, we found the code responsible for this switch. In particular, this is the code that pertains to why this switch is hidden from user builds of the Android 8.1 developer preview:
There are multiple checks in place here before the camera HAL HDR+ option can be enabled. First, it checks against a boolean value called "config_show_camera_hal_hdrplus" which is true by default on the Pixel 2 devices (thus making it fail the first conditional). Then, it checks against a system property called "ro.build.type" and if it does not match "userdebug" or "eng" (strings for debugging or engineering builds) then the Camera HAL HDR+ won't be enabled. Finally, there's also a property value called "persist.camera.hdrplus.enable" which can be set to true to forcefully enable the option, however, there's no way to set this value unless your device is rooted (and there's no root available for the Pixel 2/2 XL yet).
Current user builds of Android 8.1 on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL fail these checks. That means there is currently no way for developers to actually test HDR+ processing through the Pixel Visual Core, as Google stated in its Android 8.1 release post. This was likely just a mistake from Google, and all it would take is an OTA or new factory images to fix.
The South Korean Gian has announced that the Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2017) is ready to head to the US and it will be released on 1st of November for $229.99. This tab will be available in Black and Silver color variants and can be bought from Samsung's official online store. Moreover, the device comes with a sleek metallic frame and the rounded edges for a comfortable grip.
Well, the Galaxy Tab 8.0 (2017) offers 8.0 (1280 x 800) display with 480 nits and will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 435 SoC coupled with 2GB of RAM. It will come out of the box with Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system and might get further updates later. The onboard storage is limited to 32Gb which can be extended further up to a maximum of 256GB via MicroSD card slot.
"At Samsung, we constantly work to deliver meaningful innovation that delights our customers and meets their unique needs," said Alanna Cotton, vice president and general manager of product marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "The Galaxy Tab A is designed for parents and kids. It's the tablet that's just as easy to take on the go or curl up with on the couch, with long-lasting battery life to get the whole family through the day.
On the back, we can find a 8MP AF rear facing the camera with flash which will be accompanied with a 5MP on the front for video calling. It will be bundled with tons of content that includes Kids Mode features along with many games and videos titles from the LEGO group. With the purchase of this device, the users can get three months of free subscription. Of YouTube Red providing an uninterrupted viewing experience which is free of adds.
The users can also get the options like Parental Controls by which the parents can set limits on the usage and the type of content to create a safe environment. There is a 5000mAh battery to power the device which is rated to deliver 14 hours of charge on a single charge. Are you planning to get this device? Do comment in the section below and stay tuned for more!
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