Search titan Google has reportedly removed its recently introduced portrait-related setting for the Phone app on Pixel phones, intended to improve user control over portrait effects during phone calls.
Originally designed exclusively for the Google Phone app on Pixel devices, the feature was part of Google’s efforts to improve the user experience through software updates rather than hardware changes.
The feature was to be rolled out gradually via a server-side update for Pixel phones equipped with advanced computational photography and AI-based camera capabilities. By extending portrait effects from photography and video to calling features, Google aimed to improve visual clarity when communicating.
With the new Portrait setting, users would have been able to manage portrait behavior more effectively during calls, by being able to turn portrait processing on or off instead of relying solely on automatic settings.
This feature was especially beneficial for those who frequently switched between voice and video calls, ensuring consistency and reducing unexpected visual effects.
Either way, the rollback means Pixel users will no longer have access to this feature, which was in line with Google’s goal to improve the Phone app with AI-powered tools like Call Screen and improved spam detection.
As video calls have become more common than ever, the ability to control camera behavior during calls is essential, but unfortunately Google seems to have reconsidered its approach.
The decision to remove this feature reflects ongoing adjustments to Google’s strategy as the company evaluates user feedback and the overall impact of these features in the competitive communications technology landscape.
