Google Pixel 4 Rumored To Extend Photography Lead With P3 Wide Color Capture
The ability to capture a wider color gamut could be headed to Google's upcoming Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL handsets. If so, photographers would be able to snap and display even better looking photos than what is already possible on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, potentially taking the Pixel 4 family to a whole new level of photographic fidelity.
Google hinted at this last month when it announced that wide color photos are coming to Android. In a blog post on the subject, Google noted that we are at a point where the sRGB color gamut with 8 bits per color channel is "not enough to take advantage of the display and camera technology" on today's flagship phones.
"At Android we have been working to make wide color photography happen end-to-end, e.g. more bits and bigger gamuts. This means, eventually users will be able to capture the richness of the scenes, share a wide color pictures with friends and view wide color pictures on their phones. And now with Android Q, it's starting to get really close to reality: wide color photography is coming to Android," Google said at the time.
This is an advantage that Apple currently enjoys over Android—iPhone models dating back to the iPhone 7 have all supported capturing images in the P3 gamut. The range of colors in P3 is 25 percent more expansive than sRGB. Essentially, a photo taken on an iPhone is not properly displayed in all its glory on an Android handset.
There is evidence to suggest that P3 is headed to the Pixel 4. The folks at XDA Developers discovered last year that photo samples taken from a leaked Pixel 3 contained an embedded Display P3 color profile, the same as Apple devices use to capture images. This ultimately did not materialize in the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. It's not because of the actual camera sensors, but lack of support in apps.
Looking ahead, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will undoubtedly arrive with Android Q onboard. Assuming Google is able to deliver on its promise of a wider color gamut with Android Q, it stands to reason that Display P3 will land on the company's upcoming flagship phones. We sure hope so, anyway.
