Pixel 4a (5G) Model Tipped in Google Camera v7.5 App Code, Pixel 5 XL May Not Launch This Year: Report

Android 11 beta users received a Google Camera 7.5 update recently, and the code of this update reportedly reveals information regarding the upcoming Pixel phones, and the new camera upgrades that Google may be working on. The latest APK code teardown reveals that Google may be ditching the Pixel 5 XL this year, and launching three phones instead – Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), and Pixel 5. Furthermore, the code suggests that Google may be working on a new ‘motion blur' camera feature that will let users take DSLR-like action shots.

9to5Google has decompiled the latest Google Camera app version 7.5 rolled out for Android 11 beta users. It discovered mentions of three upcoming Pixel devices – Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), and Pixel 5, with no mention of the Pixel 5 XL. This hints that Google may altogether be ditching the Pixel 5 XL this year. The codenames of the three upcoming Pixel devices are listed to be sunfish, bramble, and redfin, respectively. Of course, the code does not offer any definitive weight to this claim, and Google may very well launch the Pixel 5 XL, given the numerous leaks in the past.

The latest Google Camera app code reveals that Google may be working on a new ‘motion blur' mode that reportedly looks to offer a DSLR-like quality to photos of moving targets. It should work in a similar manner as portrait mode which uses bokeh to create a blurry background for still images. Motion blur, judging by the name, could offer optimisations to moving shots. The mode has been codenamed Lasagna, and previously it has also reportedly been called Paneer.

The tech giant may also be working on another camera app feature called audio zoom to offer the ability to boost the sound to a specific direction when recording zoomed in video. With this feature, the microphone will be moved to focus on the zoomed area of the video for better audio recording.

The code also suggests that Google may be working on making the camera flash adjustable. The work on this feature seems to be in the early stages for now. Lastly, Google Camera 7.5 update shows the company is working to enable easy sharing of videos, just like photos. Apps like Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, GroupMe, Helo, Kik, KakaoTalk, Google Hangouts, Google Messages, Line, ShareChat, Signal, Skype, Slack are reported to support quick video sharing.

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