Google just killed off this legacy camera feature
Google’s camera software is second to none. The company has achieved some pretty impressive feats using software alone instead of relying on hardware, but as technology advances, some of these features are no longer needed.
So much so that in the latest update to the Google Camera app for the Pixel 8 smartphones, Google has removed a legacy feature in the form of Photo Sphere Mode. This feature initially debuted back in 2012 with the Nexus 4 and continued to be offered in future Nexus and Pixel phones since.
But in the latest update to the app and confirmed to Android Authority, Google has decided to remove it. The company did not explain the reason behind the removal of the feature, but it’s not hard to imagine why.
For those unfamiliar, Photo Sphere Mode allowed users to take 360-degree panoramic photos by stitching multiple photos together, creating a Google Maps Street View-like effect. While it was intriguing, it didn’t really have many day-to-day uses save for specific scenarios. Plus, it was also kind of difficult to use and didn’t always result in the best of images.
Also, these days with cameras like the Insta360, if users really needed to capture 360-degree panoramic shots, they would get much better results with the camera. If you still love the idea of taking these types of photos, you’ll now have to seek out third-party software to do so.
Source: Android Authority