The second developer preview of Android 8.1 is now available for download for developers. Google has included a big feature in the second developer build that a lot of users are excited about. The Android 8.1 DP2 will enable the Pixel Visual Core imaging chip that is present in the Pixel 2 smartphones.

This is also the final build of Android 8.1, as Google will release the stable version next month. The update also brings several other changes and improvements, but the Visual Core chip being enabled is the most important feature. You can check out the complete change-log at the source link.

The Visual Core SoC is a separate chip inside the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL that will help take better pictures. This is Google’s first self designed image processing chipset. It will also help take some load of the Snapdragon processor.

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Apps using this chipset can take photos using HDR+ much faster. It was supposed to be enabled with the first preview, but that did not happen. Anyway, it is available for developers now, and we’re sure it’s going to do wonders to the image quality and processing speed.

Google will also allow the use of this chip on third-party apps, allowing developers to improve their camera apps. Your favorite apps will soon support this feature, and take much better shots. Of course, regular users can only enjoy the new feature once the Android 8.1 update is available. Although, the wait isn’t going to be that long.

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Those who have signed up for the Android beta program on supported devices will receive the update over the air. Google will release Android 8.1 next month for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P.

Source: Google