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Moto Camera update adds Live Filters, new manual mode features, and Leveler UI
Latest Moto Camera update brings new Google Lens-based AR Stickers, Live Filters, Manual Mode tweaks, more for Moto Z3 Play and other Motorola devices.
Motorola might not be the first in line to bring the latest tricks to its official Camera app, but it has been committed to bringing these features well in time. The company recently updated the Moto Camera app with quirks like selfie portrait, spot color isolation, and watermarks. Now, it has a new update which brings Playmoji-style AR stickers through Google Lens integration, a leveler UI, live filters, and more.
Google Camera mod enables the use of the secondary lens on the Razer Phone/2, Moto X4, and possibly others
The latest version of the Google Camera mod allows you to use the telephoto lens on the Razer Phone/2, Moto X4 and possibly other smartphones too.
The Google Camera mod is probably one of the best feats of custom development in Android in recent years. On a lot of phones, it doesn't even require root, yet it allows you to have the Google Pixel's camera processing on your smartphone, complete with some of Google's best features, like Night Sight. There are a few downsides, but none that would really be considered deal breakers. One such downside is that, because the Google Pixel smartphones don't have a second sensor, it makes sense that the Google Camera port can't make use of a second camera lens on supported smartphones like the Razer Phone 2 or the Motorola Moto X4. Thanks to the hard work of Ukrainian developer B-S-G and another developer by the name of Alexander Deev, that's set to change.
How to install Android Pie on the Motorola Moto X4
XDA Senior Member CypherPotato has put together a tutorial to get stock Android Pie running on the retail version of the Moto X4.
If you own the retail version of the Moto X4 you can install the Android Pie update even though your bootloader is locked and/or blocked. I repeat, this tutorial is only for the retail version of the Moto X4 and will not work on the Android One or Amazon versions even if you have installed other systems on it. This specific guide is only for the retail version of the device. So, if you have one of these devices then you'll be happy to hear that XDA Senior Member CypherPotato has put together a tutorial to get stock Android Pie running on your device.
Moto Z2 Play and Moto X4 get LineageOS 15.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
Official builds of LineageOS 15.1 are now available for the Motorola Moto X4 (code-name: payton) and the Motorola Moto Z2 Play (code-name: albus).
Android 9 Pie may be the latest Android version, but most Android phones aren't likely to receive an update to it anytime soon. The latest Android distribution statistics show that Android Oreo still has a long way to go before it becomes the most widely used Android version, while the Android Pie official update story still has a few months to go before it gains any momentum. In the absence of official updates, enthusiasts can turn towards unofficial Android Pie ports, which are available for a surprisingly broad variety of smartphones. At this point, however, most of these Android Pie ports are based on stock AOSP and don't contain many added features. LineageOS 16, based on Android 9 Pie, is still in development, although again, users can flash unofficial builds if they feel they can handle teething issues.
Download the best Google Camera port for your Android device
The Google Camera Port Hub is a centralized location where you can go to find a working port for your device. Currently, the hub has over 40 devices listed.
One of the best developments in the Android community in recent years has been Google Camera ports. The Google Pixel's picture-taking ability is spectacular, even though the camera hardware may be better on other devices. A lot of the Google Pixel's photo magic comes from the Google Camera app. Features like HDR+ and portrait mode make the camera really shine. A vibrant community of developers and users has sprung up to bring these features to as many devices as possible.
How A/B Partitions and Seamless Updates Affect Custom Development on XDA
You may have heard of Seamless Updates before. It involves something called "A/B partitions." What is it and how does it affect custom development on XDA?
When Android Nougat released, it had us talking about all kinds of new features. We got a newly updated user interface for starters along with long-awaited multiwindow capabilities and Vulkan Graphics API support. But one under-the-hood addition flew over the heads of most users. Android Nougat introduced "Seamless Updates" on devices that support A/B partitions. The vast majority of existing Android devices (excluding the new Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL) did not have A/B partitions at the time and thus couldn't take advantage of seamless updates. The basic premise of this feature is that the device has a second set of the system, boot, vendor, and other important partitions, and when you get an OTA update the update happens in the background while the second set of partitions are patched which lets you reboot into an updated software build seamlessly. If an update fails, you'll be kicked back to a working build, meaning companies will have fewer headaches to deal with and consumers are better protected.
Here's a list of Android devices that support Seamless Updates
Android Nougat added an update system called "seamless updates" where updates take place in the background thanks to a dual A/B partition setup. We've put together a list of Android devices that support the A/B seamless system updates, come check it out!
While some of our readers feel lucky to even receive updates on a consistent basis, others might dread them because of how long an update can take. On most Android smartphones and tablets, an update can take a couple of minutes of your time as the updater has to patch all of the system files which can't happen while you're booted into Android. That's why Google introduced "seamless updates"—a new A/B dual partition scheme with Android Nougat.
Get the Latest Moto Display APK from the Moto X4 on your Moto Z
The latest Moto Display APK from the Motorola Moto X4 appears to fully work on the Motorola Moto Z without needing root. It brings all the latest features.
When the Motorola Moto Z2 was released, they updated the Moto Display system application with a new feature that allows you to reply to messages without unlocking your phone. However, they never brought this feature over to the original Moto Z. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy this new feature, however.
Motorola Uploads a Camera Tuner App for the Moto X4 in the Play Store
Just like they've been doing lately, Motorola has uploaded the camera tuner application for their upcoming Moto X4 smartphone.
Traditionally, OEMs have needed to push out full OTA updates if they wanted to substantially improve the camera experience of their smartphone. We then started to see certain companies uploading individual applications (such as the camera application) to the Play Store so they can be updated much faster. Lately, Motorola has gone a different route and has chosen to upload tuner applications to the Play Store for specific devices they have released.
Motorola Launches the Mid-Range Moto X4 for €399, Europe Release in September, US in the Fall
Motorola has officially launched the mid-range Moto X4 with its dual rear-camera setup, IP68 water resistance, and Amazon Alexa support.
We've been hearing about a new Moto X since May of this year, which was surprising to many since the company didn't release one last year. Initial renders that were leaked had most of the details right, but some were off (the camera module in specific). Then this month the device was approved for sale in Brazil and then shortly after that it passed the FCC certification process. Today, Motorola has officially launched the Moto X4 and we now know the full details of the new smartphone.