If you have considered getting the perks of Google Camera on your non-Pixel device, you may have heard of org.codeaurora.snapcam. However, the last time I checked, people were still unclear about what exactly it was.
So, I thought of creating this guide explaining everything you should know about org.codeaurora.snapcam.
A Quick Summary of org.codeaurora.snapcam
It is the package name of the Google Camera app mod available for non-Pixel Android devices. You can install this app from the official developer’s website and get features like Portrait Mode, Night Sight, HDR+, Astrophotography, and Google Lens.
What Is org.codeaurora.snapcam?
Org.codeaurora.snapcam is the package name for a modified version of the Google Camera app package. It is designed to work on non-Pixel devices, whereas Google Camera is officially available only for Pixel devices.
So, if you have installed this modified Google Camera app on your Android smartphone, you may find this package on a list of apps or Google Activity.
Is org.codeaurora.snapcam Safe?
On its own, org.codeaurora.snapcam is safe to use. However, you must understand that it is an official mod of the Google Camera app. Also, you cannot download this app from the Google Play Store. So, there are a few safety concerns you should avoid if you need the benefits of org.codeaurora.snapcam.
Why Should You Install?
The most common reason to install org.codeaurora.snapcam is that Google Camera is unavailable for non-Pixel devices. Therefore, if you want the additional features of Google Camera, you need to install a third-party mod of the camera app.
In essence, it is a less restricted version of the Google Camera app. It retains the core software-centric camera features but extends the compatibility to other devices. Unlike other mods, you can find Google Camera, this package is well maintained as well.
Another big reason is that mid-level smartphone cameras are not always good. It is not really about the lens or sensor, either. Instead, underdeveloped camera apps can ruin the final image. org.codeaurora.snapcam can easily help you with this. With the help of software, you can improve your photography game.
If you want these benefits without necessarily upgrading to a Pixel, org codeaurora snapcam is a great pick.
How to Install?
As I said, you cannot download org.codeaurora.snapcam from the Play Store. Therefore, you need to follow a couple of steps to install org.codeaurora.snapcam on your Android device.
- Open the developer website for org.codeaurora.snapcam.
- This page offers a list of the different versions of the org.codeaurora.snapcam package, including the latest ones.
- The developer also mentioned each available version’s release date and OS compatibility.
- I recommend the latest version since it contains the most refined features.
- Download the suitable version for your device.
- Open the APK file and Enable Unknown Sources by going to Settings > Security.
- Once the installation is done, you can open SnapCam on your device.
As you can see, installing it on your smartphone is breezy. You simply need to turn on installations from unknown sources. And you can turn this option off if you are uncomfortable.
Major Perks
I’ll talk about the major perks of installing org.codeaurora.snapcam on your device. In all fairness, you would get these features if an official version of Google Camera was available for your device.
- Night Sight is one of the most popular features of Google Camera and org.codeaurora.snapcam can bring it to your device. This feature lets you capture less blurry and clearer photos of night scenarios.
- HDR+ is another major perk that can improve your photography game. This feature will use multiple photographs to give you a single image with better contrast and clarity.
- You can also use the Astrophotography Mode on your device with org.codeaurora.snapcam. This is a great way to capture photos of the night sky with the help of an automatic long exposure system and noise reduction.
- I also recommend you check out the Portrait Mode feature you get in the org.codeaurora.snapcam package. It is a great way to capture portraits even if you do not have a depth sensor on your phone by default.
- Last but not least, some devices may also support Google Lens, which lets you search for content in a photograph.
I should mention that not all these features may work on all devices. I have had situations where Portrait Mode does not work on many devices. It is also worth noting that org.codeaurora.snapcam is not as stable as the official Google Camera app. So, you should expect occasional crashes.
Alternatives to org.codeaurora.snapcam
For one, org.codeaurora.snapcam is not the only third-party camera app available for Android. You can find hundreds of options searching for a camera app on the Play Store. Therefore, if you are looking for viable alternatives to org.codeaurora.snapcam, you can find many.
But, if you ask me, not all these applications are as good as org.codeaurora.snapcam. I have come across only a handful of apps that offer at least a few features that you find with org.codeaurora.snapcam. Yet, if you do not want the risk of installing something from a non-Play Store source, you can consider:
- VSCO
- Adobe Lightroom
- Open Camera
Frequently Asked Questions
Org.codeaurora.snapcam offers features like Portrait Mode, HDR+, Astrophotography, Night Sight, and Lens. These features are typically available only for Pixel devices.
You can install it from the official developer website. You will have to turn on unknown sources in Settings, though.
It is the package name of the unofficial mode of the Google Camera app. It is available for non-Pixel smartphones.
Conclusion
I hope this guide helped you clear your doubts regarding org.codeaurora.snapcam. It’s a great app to use if you need Google Camera features on your non-Pixel smartphone.
4 Comments
will you be able to get the astrophotography feature with the Gcam app as well? that’s the main reason why I’m going to install it on a Poco phone
Yes, the Gcam app can be used for astrophotography on suitable devices, such as certain Poco phones. Make sure you download a Gcam mod that is made for your Poco model so that you can use advanced features like Night Sight and Astrophotography to take beautiful pictures of the night sky.
It would be interesting to see a comparison between the GCam pictures on the Nothing Phone and the GCam pictures of the S23.
Gcam is been a big time savior for my Midrange phones. In comparison to stock cam except for stabilization everything else seems miles ahead. Definitely would recommend every android user to try for once.