Android 14 can use this handy iPhone webcam feature
Android 14 may introduce Google’s version of Apple’s Continuity Camera feature, which lets you use your iPhone’s camera as an improved Mac webcam.
A new tool, DeviceAsWebcam, has been discovered as part of the Android open source project. (AOSP) codewhich suggests a handy feature may come in a future release.
Code discovered Mishaal Rahman and informed 9to5Google, points to a function that largely matches the name. The view says:
“DeviceAsWebcam is a new service that turns your Android device into a webcam. This requires access to all services that a regular application should have access to, and requires read/write permission for /dev/video* nodes, which is how the Linux kernel mounts the UVC gadget.”
AOSP
If implemented, this feature will likely allow owners of Android 14 devices to upgrade their laptop’s webcam for video conferencing, live video streaming, and more.
It looks like Google’s implementation of the technology might be a bit more flexible than Apple’s, which only works between iOS and macOS technologies. The report indicates that it will roll out the USB Video Class (UVC) standard, meaning you’ll be able to use it on Windows laptops as well.
Apple’s version of the technology allows multiple cameras to be used simultaneously, allowing it to capture items on the table as well as the user’s face. This is great for creating how-to videos, for example. The bokeh effect provided by portrait mode also allows users to blur the background during video calls.
Bottom line: Most desktop and laptop webcams are substandard, and this would be a great quality upgrade without buying an external webcam. Do it Google.
