The beauty mode of our cameras is here to stay, sometimes hidden as a semi-hidden option in the camera application and other times ubiquitous. So much so that some mobiles send photos embellished even when you use other apps, something that Google could force to disable in Android 11.

According to some changes proposed in the Android 11 compatibility definition document collected by Mishaal Rahman, Google is thinking of prohibiting manufacturers to send altered images with any kind of beauty mode in the Android camera API. That is, the beauty mode can still be in a specific application, but not integrated into the camera itself.

Beauty mode yes, but not always

The current version of the Android 10 compatibility definition document dedicates its camera section almost entirely to defining format and function standards that must be supported to pass the certification, but Google has a much more specific change in hand, relative to the beauty way.

In the proposed change, Google indicates that the API of the camera of an Android mobile must ensure that images with facial appearance are not sent to other applications altered as with changed geometry, different skin tone or skin softening.

It seems that Google is banning OEMs from implementing facial tweaking algorithms during image processing. This means all images, by default, won’t have faces tweaked, but can still do it in post. So turning off beauty modes will actually turn it off. pic.twitter.com/NEmPK8iFsa

– Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) July 16, 2020

This does not mean that Android 11 prohibits the beauty mode, but Google wants to make sure that it is not integrated into the camera of the mobile, but that it is integrated into the respective camera application. Thus, if you want to take a photo with beauty mode, you should choose it in the camera application, but it will not apply if you use the camera in another application such as during a video call.

Google’s goal with this new rule seems to be that a mobile camera does not normalize image manipulation, but provide a version without filters ready to be processed -if you want- in the target application. The change in the compatibility document is not confirmed, so there could still be changes.

Track | MSPowerUser