Google is working on a native camera recording feature for some Android phones that can run in the background for up to 24 hours, and it sounds pretty cool. 9 to 5 Google captured screenshots An update to the Personal Security app for Android phones with an option that appears to have been accidentally uploaded to Google Play as part of an internal test.
The app apparently uses compressed video to save space, and lets you turn off your screen or switch to another app — Waze or Google Maps — while recording continues in the background. You’ll also be able to set triggers like connecting to a specific Bluetooth device to start recording automatically as soon as you start your car. You can configure it to not record sound.
Recordings will be automatically deleted after three days (you can save specific videos to avoid this), and recording will automatically stop after 24 hours.
Dashcam apps are nothing new, as there are plenty of apps available on both the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store, and many of them can even run in the background. But if you’ve ever tried to use your smartphone as a camcorder, you already know the limitations.
Recording high-quality video for hours quickly fills the memory (although dedicated camera applications Droid Dashcam (allows you to configure the recording resolution) and if the camera is on long enough, your phone, which is probably already running hot, gets too hot sitting in the sunlight shining through your windshield while recording video or using a GPS app.
Another issue is whether the app takes care of things like optical image stabilization, which can be damaged by the small vibrations of some engines. creates like those on motorcycles (something I experienced years ago when using an old HTC phone as a handlebar-mounted action cam on my bike). But it’s hard to beat free, and if Google has it listed, then you don’t have to worry about wading through ad-serving apps hell to find a good app.
We don’t know how Google plans to mitigate the heat issues or deal with the potential damage to the camera that uses optical image stabilization. Apple is warning its customers — maybe he’s just choosing a lens that doesn’t have this feature. We also don’t know which phones will support the app, but hopefully it will work with any Android phone that runs the Personal Security app, not just Pixels.