We have more evidence that Google has a periscope camera in the Pixel 6 XL.
TL;DR
- Google Camera app version 5.0 contains references to “ultratele” and “5X zooms. This strongly suggests that the Pixel 6 XL may indeed have a periscope camera by leaked renders.
- The Google Pixel 6 XL looks like a photography upgrade for Mountain View if leaks and rumors go by. The leaks of renders showing a triple rear camera with a periscope-style shooter and a third camera are now confirmed.
XDA Developers and Google Camera modder, cstark27, discovered numerous references to “ultratele”, zoom options, and “5X” zoom in the most recent Google Camera app update (version 8.3.252). The developer also discovered evidence that the native zoom factor may be 4.3X.
Although there were no specific references to tie the Pixel 6 XL’s ultra-tele and 5X zoom capabilities to it, it is reasonable to assume that this is true given the existence of what appears to be a periscope camera, as seen in leaked renders.
This information and the previous renders indicate that the Pixel 6 XL will be the first Pixel phone to feature a triple rear camera system. Up until the Pixel 4 series, all Pixels had a single rear camera system. The Pixel 4 series adopted a dual-camera setup with telephoto and main. The Pixel 5 used a dual-camera system last year, but an ultra-wide camera replaced the telephoto lens.
The periscope camera could also allow for improved hybrid zoom on Pixel phones. Google uses Super Res Zoom technology for better zoom images. The Pixel 4 combined this with a 2X telephoto sensor to provide Super Res Zoom up to 8X. So it stands to reason that we can see a decent zoom at 10X and even higher when using a periscope camera combined with Google’s hybrid zoom technology.
