Google has added support for Android’s new Ultra HDR Image Format sharing in Google Messages via RCS. When you send these images, they now retain their metadata and quality.
TheSpAndroid first noticed this functionality and included the ‘bugle.support_ultra_hdrflag’ inside the app’s APK. The publication says it tested the feature with Google’s Pixel 8 devices when sending images over RCS.
Android’s Ultra HDR Format was introduced in Android 14. It’s essentially an improved version of the JPEG format and offers better dynamic range and HDR data integration through metadata. Now, when an image is sent in this format, if the phone is on Android 14 and has an HDR display, the photo will offer a wider dynamic range with brighter highlight luminance and show better details in shadows. If the handset lacks metadata support, it’ll display in the base JPEG format.
The Pixel 8 series are the first Android devices that can capture images of this quality. However, older Pixel devices can display these pictures as they can read the metadata.
This feature is similar to OnePlus and Oppo’s ProXDR. However, according to GSMArena, these devices are incompatible with Pixel’s Ultra HDR and vice versa.
With that in mind, even though Apple is adopting RCS support, it’s unlikely that Pixel users will be able to send these images to iPhones.
Source: TheSpAndroid, GSMArena
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