Tip: Enable Pixel Visual Core in Android 8.1 (Premium)

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL users running Android 8.1 can now enable the Pixel Visual Core chip hidden in your phone. Here's why you might want to do so.

As you may know, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are basically just HTC and LG handsets, respectively. But Google did give the devices one "made by Google" bit: Each includes a special, Google-designed image processing chip called Pixel Visual Core. And it does exactly one thing: It hardware accelerates the phone's HDR+ functionality.

And that is why you might want to enable this feature whenever you upgrade to Android 8.1: Theoretically, Pixel Visual Core should speed the performance of picture taking/processing when the Camera app is set to its default HDR+ mode. And it should save battery life as well, since this processing will not need to be done by the CPU.

How much better will it be? According to Google, HDR+ processing will be five times faster and it will use less than 1/10th the energy.

What's odd about Pixel Visual Core is that Google shipped the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL with this chip disabled. The theory is that they weren't able to get the HDR+ image processing done in time for the initial release. But whatever the reason, this functionality can now be enabled in Android 8.1. It's not clear yet if it will be enabled automatically via a separate update, perhaps to the Camera app, at a later time. But I assume the current workaround isn't permanent.

Anyway, if you do want to enable this chip on your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL, you're going to need to jump through some hoops.

As I write this, Android 8.1 is still available only in preview, so you'll need to join the Android Developer Program and install the preview.

Then, you will need to enable Developer options on Android. To do so, navigate to Settings > About Phone and tap on "Build number" seven times in a row. Yes, really. When you do, you will see a new Developer options entry in System > Settings.

Then, you need to actually turn on this new feature. In Developer options, scroll down to Debugging and then enable the option "Camera HAL HDR+". Then, reboot the phone.

Once you do, there's no indication in the Camera app or elsewhere that this functionality is working, let alone doing anything. But I've enabled it on my Pixel 2 XL and will see if there are any effects, detrimental or otherwise.