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Comment by border43 | Hacker News Reader

I'm wondering why this is exclusive to Pixel 3 and not made available to Pixel 2 owners? If it's an algorithm that stiches together many images, Pixel 2 should be able to do this as well. The Pixel 2 camera already meshes together many images when you take photos, and already gives users the ability to take "motion" photos.

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Google is actually backporting a quite a lot of Pixel 3 functionality to the older phones - e.g. night sight (which makes a enormous difference for photos taken in less than ~3 lux), call screening, adjustable blur. (Full list at https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/10/13/pixel-3-features-co... )

It's pretty generous actually, Apple and Samsung rarely backport marquee features. I figure Google is trying to build up loyalty amongst Pixel and Pixel 2 owners so that they stay with the brand.

> I figure Google is trying to build up loyalty amongst Pixel and Pixel 2 owners so that they stay with the brand.

As a Pixel owner: it's working.

As a nexus/pixel user since the Galaxy Nexus I'd say so too :)

Super Zoom needs a better lens than what the sensor strictly requires. That was probably not the case on the Pixel 2.

Also, can the Pixel 2 control the OIS the way the Pixel 3 does? I own both, but have no way of checking.

Specifically if the lens is too good one gets aliasing which cannot be removed through software.

The pixel 3 hardware requires this super zoom method at all times, or the output will be aliased.

Google gets to sell a couple of new Pixel 3 devices?

People have gotten a lot of Pixel 3 exclusive features to work one Pixel 1 + 2 by install Pixel 3's camera apk. I'm assuming most of the reason for backporting features is not a hardware limitation.

Could also be improvements necessary to the "Pixel Visual Core" that are necessary to make this run fast enough.

same reason everyone throws away their phone every year and buys a new one.

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