Android 16 promises to improve the quality of night photos on Instagram

Google continues to release new features that will be available in Android 16 and the latest one is sure to please Instagram users. The next version of the operating system, as Big Tech announced on Tuesday (17) will have resources to improve the quality of night photos published on the platform.

The Mountain View giant is testing a new API that automatically detects whether the image was recorded in a low-light environment, even using the camera integrated into the social networking app. Once this happens the “Night Camera Mode Extension” function will be activated.

As the name suggests, this Enables night mode in Meta’s platform camera solutionthe function icon appears on the screen. The tool will display three possible results: “Unknown” when it cannot detect light conditions; “Closed” if the resource is not capable of offering improvement; and “On” when there is a chance to improve the photo in the dark.

This new feature will add features to the Instagram camera on Android that are closer to those found in the mobile phone’s native photo app, which could be useful for content creators. However, implementation will depend on each manufacturer and this may affect availability in some cases.

Other applications will benefit

In addition to Instagram, as Google announced, the improved night mode for taking photos in low light can also be used in the camera solutions of more image-oriented applications. Platforms to benefit from include TikTok and Snapchat.

The new API is currently being tested on Google Pixel 6 series phones and later, and some high-end Samsung models such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 6. More devices will come soon.

Once released, Android 16 will be part of the system’s Camera Extensions structure and will also introduce other native camera features for apps, such as the Bokeh effect and facial retouching, allowing the user to get an optimized image.