Photos in certain apps, including Google Photos, will automatically look brighter and more colorful in Android 14.
A preview of Android 14 was strikingly absent from last week’s Google I/O developer conference. But what Google did announce was a feature called Ultra HDR. Compatible apps on Android devices running Android 14 will be able to show photographs with a wider range of colors and brightness. And since the supporting technology to run Ultra HDR is already found on flagship Android phones, as long as you update your device to the latest Android build in August, you’ll have this new feature on your phone.
According to Forbes, Ultra HDR will be supported by the Google Photos app. Third-party app developers will have to decide for themselves whether to support the technology but since Adobe is making it easy for them to do so, most big-name apps will probably include Ultra HDR support. The technology works by adding an extra layer of information called a Gain Map to a standard jpeg image.
According to Adobe, whose patent explains how to create Gain Maps and how to store them in a standard jpeg file, « Images optimized for High Dynamic Range (HDR) displays have brighter highlights and more detailed shadows, resulting in an increased sense of realism and a greater impact.
