8.1 - Pixel Visual Core still locked, data always active impact?

[Mayoo614]

Hi all,

I am just wondering what the hell is happening right now. I was so hyped to receive 8.1, but ...

1) Is it true that battery goes to sh*t because of the "mobile data always on"

2) Pixel Visual Core is deactivated. Will it get activated soon? I was supposed to be THE big thing of 8.1 (for me)

Note : I am a purist, I like dev options but I also avoid to use them at all costs if I can, thus I could change the settings but it is not the way I want to go.

 

[maverick96]

Hi all,

I am just wondering what the hell is happening right now. I was so hyped to receive 8.1, but ...

1) Is it true that battery goes to sh*t because of the "mobile data always on"

2) Pixel Visual Core is deactivated. Will it get activated soon? I was supposed to be THE big thing of 8.1 (for me)

Note : I am a purist, I like dev options but I also avoid to use them at all costs if I can, thus I could change the settings but it is not the way I want to go.

It's still locked? How can you tell? I have 8.1 and to be honest, I haven't noticed anything different about the camera or it's performance, compared with 8.0.

 

[Mayoo614]

I realized I should have said "Disabled" instead of "locked" but yes.

Go into Developer setting and look at Camera HAL option. It is disabled by default. You can activate it, requiring a reboot. I noticed little improvement leading me to think it is not quite ready yet.

I also read a lot of different info on the chip. One saying it was only working for specific engineering version, thus probably a closed beta.

That's why I'm lost in all this. Google promises a lot but gives little to no info afterwards.

 

[KWKSLVR]

The Visual Core is all about learning. Keep taking pictures and give it something to learn.

 

[Mayoo614]

Okay but my question is more "why is it disabled by default".

 

[Nauga]

Okay but my question is more "why is it disabled by default".

Probably because it wasn't functional before 8.1. And for now I think the visual core dingus is more of a come on for 3rd party camera app developers than it is a boost of any kind for the stock camera. Although it might be important to those AR stickers that finally started showing up.

 

[Mayoo614]

Probably because it wasn't functional before 8.1. And for now I think the visual core dingus is more of a come on for 3rd party camera app developers than it is a boost of any kind for the stock camera. Although it might be important to those AR stickers that finally started showing up.

So third party apps or AR stickers would activate a hardware chip that requires a reboot? I would highly doubt so.

 

[Almeuit]

The Visual Core is all about learning. Keep taking pictures and give it something to learn.

It is disabled in 8.1 by default at the moment.

 

[Almeuit]

Okay but my question is more "why is it disabled by default".

It wasn't fully ready so they didn't active it. You can activate it via Dev Options and then 3rd party apps that are written for it can take advantage of it but until it is fully baked it won't be on by default from Google.

 

[nelamvr6]

I haven't noticed ANY degradation in my battery life after installing 8.1. And I leave my Data always on anyway. I still get close to 2 days life on a charge.

 

[Mayoo614]

Bringing this one back from the grave.

We are now seeing reports of many third party apps that will take benefit of the Visual Core. But HAL HDR+ is still disabled by default in the dev options.

What am I not understanding?

EDIT: Nevermind, I passed over the post that was pretty much explaining that the Feb update activates it for all apps.