Google Could Turn Your Android Phone Into A Universal Plug-And-Play Webcam

Your Android phone could become a plug-and-play USB webcam soon. If you're tired of the relatively dismal cameras available on computers, Google might be rolling out a long-term solution soon.

For now, using your smartphone as a webcam requires third-party apps, but Google could be working on bringing the plug-and-play USB webcam experience to Android phones.

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Turning your Android phone into a webcam

According to Android analyst Mishaal Rahman, Google is adding support for turning your Android phone into a USB webcam soon. Rahman fond the service hidden in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) catalogue, which mentioned a "DeviceAsWebcam" option.

If your Android device supports the USB video class (UVC) mode, you may use it as a webcam sometime in the near-future, if Google releases it, that is! The feature is described as a "a new service that turns an Android device into a webcam."

Android is adding a new "DeviceAsWebcam" service that "turns an android device into a
webcam." Specifically, Android devices that support the standard UVC (USB video class) gadget mode will be able to send video data that hosts can read from /dev/video* nodes. pic.twitter.com/oOgIqr1KkE

¡ª Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 2, 2023

This way, your phone would act a webcam for your PC, Mac, or Chromebook. Essentially "DeviceAsWebcam" would register your Android phone or tablet as a USB video device, making it universally compatible - for UVC is the standard on most USB webcams.

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Also read: Google To Change How Android Operates In India After Antitrust Ruling: Here's How

While this isn't an entirely new phenomenon on Android phones, it would mark the first time Google would allow the same without a third-party app.

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Even then, it's unclear when/if the feature will become available. For context, AOSP is Google's open-source operating system wherein anyone can share their reviews and fixes to Google.

Also read: New Android App Works Like A Security Search Engine Against Malicious Apps

What do you think about the potential use value of your Android smartphone as a webcam? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.