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Google has removed the astrophotography lens from Pixel phones and in doing so illustrated exactly why a smartphone is not a camera.
The recent Google Camera 8.1 update removed the ability to shoot night sky shots from the Pixel 5 and 4a5G, according to Tom’s Guide. The feature is tied to the wide-angle lenses found on Pixel phones and would automatically pop up when someone entered Night Sky mode.
Using the astrophotography feature requires different steps and is not automatic after a recent updateGearbrain
People can still use the feature, which was apparently removed in November, but only if they zoom to 1x, and not with the ultra-wide lens. Or they can use it with the ultra-wide lens, but not with the astrophotography function. There are posts that illustrate how this results in a different image, with an image clearly showing the change that results in a hyper-pixel green photo.
Smartphones have quickly replaced cameras in our lives, particularly as technology has improved, allowing phones to take images that compete with those taken by physical bodies and lenses. In terms of smartphone and camera sales in 2019, before the pandemic, 1.54 billion smartphones were sold that year, according to Gartner. Only 15.2 million digital still cameras were shipped that year according to the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA), the world’s industry group for imaging devices.
However, the problem with relying on smartphones for your camera needs is that while the lenses attached to your phone are physical, the ability to use them depends on the operating system your phone is running. That code is not physical and can be updated and rewritten, as Google just illustrated.
With a camera, by contrast, people own the body and the lenses attached to them, and the limitations on what, and of course how, they shoot are based on their capabilities.
However, taking photos of the night sky is a great feature of the latest smartphone releases, including the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which Apple noted for its ability to take night photos of the sky. And this feature also stood out on the Pixel 5 when it launched in October 2020.
